In the first place, you were pretty much your old self around us." That's good. You guys are home base for me. Without you all, I'd be lost." Oh, I th...ink that's going too far. You're a tough girl underneath it all. It took toughness to get through eighteen years without a mom and still be a great person." Just the same..." Just the same, I know what you mean. We're all support for each other. Look how Tom's blossomed out. When we first knew him, he wasn't sure he'd make it through college.". Lots of stuff. I realized he had a pretty high opinion of himself, and I was hoping he was just talking because he was nervous, too. No such luck, he kept going and I started to think he was a jerk, and then he proved it by yelling at our waitress. "David, you shouldn't be rude to her, it's not her fault the kitchen messed up!" 'Aw, she's stupid. That's her fault." He was turning out to be a real asshole. Wonderful. "I'm not into being rude like that to people, it's better. Mark was aseventeen year old orphan that been moved from one foster home toanother because as a cross dresser he preferred to be called Martha. "This is it." Mark thought. "This will be my last home before I'm eighteenand on my own." The house was an old brick Victorian with a wide white fence, porch andtrim. It made Mark think of a cross between a gingerbread house and ahaunted house. Being Halloween night, moving in here was just perfect. "So... er... Martha." Frank said with a smile. "This. "Audio recording." Richard." They shook hands."Well, if you don't feel comfortable passing over the keys, then you should give Mort a ring. Is he on call tonight?" Yeah, he is. What do you need the keys for?" Richard asked neutrally."We're doing a recording in the hall tonight, and I need the AC turned off. Maintenance was supposed to do it, but they haven't. I can't find Wilson or Steve, and we need to get going." What are you recording?" Some solo piano." That's what I play," Richard said."Do.