So, reluctantly, I let it pass.Four days later, she called me again -- in my office at the University. "How'd you know to call me here?" I asked."I di...dn't. I tried the house, and your cell phone, and this was my third shot. Gotcha!" You and Shirley get together again?" Yep." Any news?" Yep." You gonna tell me what happened?" Yep." You know any other words or phrases?" As a matter of fact, yes, I do." What happened?" We had a really nice lunch, at that French place? What's-its-French-name?. She knows them well. His palms her like sandpaper. No matter how much he moisturized them, his hands had always remained rough mitts that seemed to paw at anything he touched, weapons, money, flesh. ‘You heard me,’ he says. ‘Now, where is he? You guys are never far apart from one another.’ ‘Used to be that way, not anymore.’ What had she been thinking, anyway? Opening the door for him. She’d looked through the peephole, saw no one standing there. He skirted thresholds, well, had always skirted. She died before they got her to the hospital. Sue was at the funeral, and said to call her if I need anything, or someone to talk to. My company paid 100% for both our life insurance policies, in the amount of 2 years of MY salary, so I did not have any financial worries. After a while I tried some dates with other women, but there was never any music, if you know what I mean.. A few months later, Sue’s son got married. I was asked to be part of the head table, next to her. We got to talking. Our purpose, or so I was taught, was to preserve this Balance, by influencing mortals, to inspire them, to indulge in excess and as many Sins as possible, opposed to Celestial powers who do the same for their so called Virtues. Else, if either side succumbs to the other, should the Balance be broken, the Apocalypse will be upon all creation. All in the cosmos, Heaven, Hell, Earth, and beyond will collapse and cease to exist....Or so that would be what the ancient scriptures say. Book loads of.