Old lamps cast the room in their yellow light, and an imitation chandelier hung from the high ceiling, wrapped with cobwebs. Where the walls were expo...sed they were decorated with wallpaper that Matt found dated and tasteless, the carpet was at least something that he was able to keep clean.He shrugged off his parka and took a seat on one of the couches, sinking into the faux-leather, Smoke sticking close to his new friend as she walked around the room to examine the oddities.“Too big if you ask. ”She just shook her head and smiled. “Make me another drink. This makes my head hurt.”I laughed and made her a drink, then sat around and kibitzed while she made dinner. After dinner we just watched some television while I reviewed the latest edits and revisions on To Protect and Serve: A History of Policing in America, the title Simon & Schuster was planning to use. Around eleven or so it was bedtime, and I followed my wife down the hallway in the hopes of enjoying a bit of conjugal bliss. There was also the echo of yelling in the near distance from an American woman in which I couldn't tell apart a single individual word but I'm sure several were neither decent nor Christian."Fuck knows what convention those guys are going to," Thelma commented. "But it sure isn't to sell Bibles." Or maybe it is," I said ruefully, recalling the ecstatic bawling I'd briefly witnessed on one of the Christian TV channels I'd skimmed through earlier that evening. Americans didn't worship God in the. Give them an inch they want a mile.”“It’s not just his fault dad, I was there too,” Rita said as she came around the corner.“Oh I know, you were kinda hard to miss. Next time can you please remember that were not living in a bunker? These aren’t soundproof walls so keep whatevernoise you make down.”“Ok dad, sorry, we’ll be more careful next time. I still love you daddy.”Rita got up and hugged dad just as we heard Aunt Lisa blow her horn and pull in. I got up and helped mom finish setting the.