I decide it’s best to stay away from her for therest of the evening, so that’s what I do. One more hour to go and I will havesuccessfully fulfilled Delton’s wish for me, so I don’t have to hear his mouth.I don’t want to hear no more nagging about how I don’t get out and meet people.It’s done. I can finally tell him to let me be. I’m on the home stretch.

I make myself a fruit bowl and carry it backoutside where I can breathe. Where I’m safely away from her. I staredown the long row of stairs before deciding to sit halfway down. Only a fewpeople are mingling outside, so it’s much safer out here. I’m not expected totalk to passersby. I just sit here, mind my business and eat fruit.

I pull out my stopwatch to check the time. Time ismoving slower than our president. It’s funny how it drags along at times youwant to speed it up. I just have to ride it out. I toss a grape into my mouthand as I do, I smell the strawberry scent of the woman who had made memalfunction. I figure it must be the strawberries in my fruit salad, butshortly after, I feel her presence. I turn my head to glance behind me and sureenough, she’s coming down the stairs.

Crap!

At least I’m outside this time where there’splenty of oxygen.

“There you are,” she says, sitting on the stepright beside me.

I glance at her and quickly look away. I toss agrape into my mouth and say, “Your words imply you were looking for me.”

“I was.”

“Why?”

“Just wanted to make sure you were okay. Plus, Iwant to mix with you.”

“I’m fine and I told you I don’t mix well.”

“What exactly does that mean?” she asks, helpingherself to a strawberry from my bowl and biting it.

*****

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