Chapter 46 — A Small World

_March 13, 1984, Chicago, Illinois_

{psc} At lunchtime on Tuesday, I left the building and met Marcia at a deli near the Congressional District office where she worked.

"How are things going with Congressman Hayes?" I asked.

"I'm really happy to be managing the district office, and we're doing really good work for our constituents."

"I'm happy to hear that. Would you be able to arrange a meeting with the Congressman when he's in Chicago?"

"I need to say something off the record," Marcia said.

"Sure."

"For 'meet and greet', we prioritize donors, and size matters."

I laughed, "So I've heard!"

Marcia smirked, "What? I was talking about a contribution!"

"Uh-huh! Just as Steve Martin was talking about his girlfriend's cat!"

"You lost me."

"He has a skit that is totally off-color. OK to tell you?"

"Sure."

I modulated my voice to sound similar to Steve Martin's, though it wasn't a very good impression.

{_ 'I went to this girl's apartment, and she had the best pussy I have ever…' _}

"The audience goes crazy. So he continues…"

{_ 'Oh, now come on! I'm talking about her cat! That makes me sick! You can't say anything anymore without people taking it dirty. I'm sorry, that disgusts me!' _}

"He pauses for a few seconds, then says, completely deadpan…"

{_ 'Incidentally, that cat was the best fuck I ever had.' _}

Marica shook her head, "Rude, crude, and socially unacceptable!"

"And yet, perfect for a stand-up routine with an adult audience. Have you heard Frank Zappa's _Joe's Garage_ album?"

"No."

"It's like that, only more so. I also heard a song by him, _Bobby Brown Goes Down_ which is far worse in terms of 'rude, crude, and socially unacceptable', and yet, it's awesome. In one verse, near the beginning, he sings…

{_ Here I am at a famous school {br}
I'm dressin' sharp, and I'm actin' cool {br}
I got a cheerleader here wants to help with my paper {br}
I'll let her do all the work, and maybe later I'll rape her! _}

"…and gets worse from there."

"That's just sick!" Marcia declared.

"Maybe so, but Frank Zappa, like George Carlin, refuses to be bound by social norms and, in fact, uses them to create offensive humor, which is the best kind."

"Seriously?"

"You know I don't follow social conventions except insofar as I have to at work. I prefer people who defy social convention and who express themselves freely."

"You behave conservatively and traditionally."

"I have that _public_ image because it's what my clients expect. What you don't see, for example, is me posing nude for an art class at the School of the Art Institute."

"No way!" Marcia gasped.

"It's true. I also posed nude with Bianca for a painting Deanna did. You'll be able to see that one in the gallery in my new condo."

"When are you moving?"

"Sometime in late April or early May, depending on when my interior designer finishes her work."

"So you've gone full aristocrat now?"

"I inherited no money and no title," I replied. "Am I better off than the vast majority of people in Chicago? Yes. And that's because I generate more wealth for others than the vast majority of people do. There are baseball players who make more than I do, and I daresay you feel they make less of a contribution to society than I do."

"I'd actually say it's similar because you don't create jobs."

"Bullshit. The baseball player, to use that example, helps create jobs for thousands of people — groundskeepers, ushers, ticket-sellers, sports reporters, memorabilia creators and sellers, everyone who works for advertisers on sports broadcasts, and so on. Does he pay them directly? No. But without him, they wouldn't exist.

"In the same way, I create jobs both directly and indirectly. I help pay for everyone without a securities license who works at Spurgeon, plus the cleaning staff at the Hancock Center, the men and women who work at the exchanges, accountants, lawyers, and so on, not to mention the people I hire to do work for me on my house or manage my rental properties. Not to mention creating capital which is used to found and run businesses, and my work facilitates international trade.

"Both the baseball player and I pay taxes, which create _your_ job. We pay significantly higher taxes than the average person, too. Granted, some extremely high net-worth individuals escape taxation, but that sure as heck isn't me or Bill Buckner or Ryne Sandberg! And guess who can fix that? Congressman Hayes. Back to the meeting, should I just write you a check?"

"No. We have to keep constituent services completely separate from the campaign committee. I can't even ask you for a contribution, which is why I hinted at it and said even that hint was off the record. I'll give you the address to send the check to, which should be made out to 'Hayes for Congress'. They'll contact you to get some personal information before they deposit the check."

"Personal information?"

"They have to report contributions, and that includes your name, address, and occupation."

"I'll take care of it."

"And I'll set up the meeting, probably in April."

"Thanks. How are things otherwise?"

"OK. You know I'm dating, but nothing serious yet. I've been out with two different guys a few times each, and I think the best thing to say is I haven't found exactly what I'm looking for. Well, that's not quite true…sorry, I shouldn't say that."

"No need to walk on eggshells," I said. "It won't upset me if you just say what you're thinking."

"You know how I feel about you, even if it's too soon for you to act on it."

"I'm working through my feelings, and I'm making good progress, I think. I've concluded a few things, and one of them is that in order to move forward, I have to find a way that honors Keiko and doesn't diminish my relationship with her. It also has to account for my commitment to her that when the time comes, I'll be cremated, and my ashes will be placed next to hers in her family's crypt. It also has to allow for a special relationship with Bianca because she and I are having a daughter together in about a month. And it has to allow for my relationships with Violet, who will always be a close friend, and my role as Deanna's patron."

"Nothing like creating a ton of non-negotiable prerequisites and limits!"

I nodded, "I understand, and you and I have had this discussion. Some things just can't be negotiated. My usual example is a few devout Catholic girls for whom a church wedding is a requirement or who want to raise their kids Catholic and not have me say anything to contradict the Catholic religious teachings. But there was also a girl who was Hindu whose family did not approve because I wasn't Hindu.

"Differing worldviews can be a problem, as can different goals, such as having a small or large family or no kids at all. Obviously, I can't compromise with regard to my soon-to-be-born daughter. Nor could I compromise about my choice of career or the way I do my job. Those things are simply part of who I am.

"That said, there are areas where compromise or even agreeing to disagree are OK. Taking something simple — if we don't like the same TV shows, two TVs or a VCR solves the problem. If we don't like the same sports, we can each go to games with our friends. Political differences aren't particularly relevant so long as both spouses are tolerant. And so on. Where to live, where to go on vacation, and so on, are all open for discussion and negotiation.

"Right now, and for the foreseeable future, I have no intention of remarrying. I may never remarry. That resolves, at least in my mind, the concern I have for diminishing Keiko's role in my life and her being my wife. It feels wrong to have a 'first wife' and 'second wife', and that feeling may never go away. That doesn't mean I won't have a long-term romantic relationship, perhaps even a monogamous one; it just means nobody should assume that marriage is in the cards."

"I'm not quite sure what to say about that," Marcia replied. "You're saying you're a confirmed bachelor for life?"

"I'm saying that's the default, and nobody should count on it changing."

"And you think a girl should just have to accept that?"

"Yes, but not in the way you mean. For example, I accept that a young woman I saw twice is a devout Catholic and nothing I say or do is going to change that. Any relationship would have to be on those terms. If I can't accept it, that's on _me_, not on her. That said, she also has to accept that I'm never going to be religious, devout, or otherwise. If she can't accept that, it's on her. But neither of us should enter a relationship assuming the other will ever change."

"Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" Marcia asked scornfully.

"Keiko," I said flatly.

Marcia frowned and looked down.

"Sorry," she said, barely audibly.

"In the end, Marcia, you have choices, but your choices don't compel a specific response on my part any more than my choices compel a specific response on your part. In the end, the terms of our relationship have to be negotiated like the terms of _any_ relationship. Often, that's done by inference and informally, but even if the terms aren't stated clearly, they exist, including by social convention."

"You reject that out of hand!"

"And yet, I know it, understand it, and use it to gauge how others will react unless I know they are of a similar mindset to me. You mistake me rejecting social convention for how I live my life for rejecting needing to accommodate it in my decision making. Not to mention competing social conventions based on religion or class or venue."

"So what I want doesn't matter?" Marcia asked.

"Sure it does. But unless you're in _'I want an Oompa Loompa, and I want one now!'_ mode, what you want has to take into account what is possible, which has to include all considerations. Bluntly, you tell me what you want, I tell you what I can offer, and we see if there is any way to meet in the middle if there is a gap.

"Let's cut to the chase — you are certain you want to marry, and I am reasonably certain I don't. There is no actual middle ground there unless one of us changes our mind. That means we stay friends and participate in Jeri's cabal she intends to use to take over the world. The terms of that friendship are negotiable, including how often we see each other, what kinds of things we do together, and so on."

"So you're saying you'll have sex with me, but you'll never be my boyfriend?"

"Actually, that's inaccurate. It would be more accurate to say that I won't be your _husband_. I didn't rule out a long-term girlfriend, including an exclusive one. I simply ruled out marriage."

"Why would a girl sign up for that?"

"Because it met her needs, and she didn't feel a marriage certificate was necessary? Let me give you another example — some people do not want to have kids. That's a legitimate choice, and anyone who wants kids shouldn't marry someone who doesn't. Doing so would be foolish in the extreme and likely lead directly to divorce. Fundamentally, you don't get to decide for anyone else.

"And that, I think, is the core of our disconnect. Your job is, in effect, to decide for others; mine is to provide them the means to decide for themselves. Fortunately, there are limits on _both_ our jobs — the Constitution limits how far you can intrude into my life, and laws and regulations limit what I'm allowed to do to generate wealth for others, and the law limits their actions to things that don't physically harm others."

"I'm not sure how to take all of that."

"Bottom line, based on what you've said? You want to marry and have kids, and that means I'm not a good choice for a life partner."

"So you'll never change your mind?"

"All I'm saying is that you can't expect me to ever change my mind. It's a subtle difference but an important one."

"You are nothing if not pedantic," Marcia observed.

"It's who I am."

We finished our lunches, and I returned to the office. I wrote out a check to 'Hayes for Congress', put it in an envelope, added postage, and put it in my 'Out' box for the mailroom to collect. I spent time during the afternoon making calls to my current clients simply to check in, and for each call, I confirmed a face-to-face visit in May or June that Violet had arranged.

At the end of the day, rather than head home, I drove to Ichirō's house for dinner with him and Atsuko. After a very nice Japanese meal, Atsuko brought a pot of tea for Ichirō and me.

"Did you study the materials I provided?" Ichirō asked.

"I did," I replied. "There were some very good lessons there, though I had to think of them slightly differently from the way they were written to apply outside of karate."

"And what did you learn?"

"First, the Dōjō precepts apply across all facets of life, not just for karate — perfection of character; faithfulness; making a supreme effort; respect for others and self; and non-violence. Those quite clearly define my approach to life and boil it down to a simple set of rules to live by, as it were."

"Very good. The other list is more specific to Shōtōkan karate, but I think you are wise enough to glean precepts from it which apply to your life."

"Yes," I replied. "With a minor modification to words to apply generally, there were three that stood out. First, _'Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful in your pursuit of life'_; next, _'Calamity springs from carelessness'_; and finally, _'First know yourself, then know others'_."

"And which of those would you say was the most important?"

"Knowing oneself. Unless you are self-aware, you cannot see your own faults and flaws and cannot improve. In a way, it's like the Catholic practice of confession but without all the baggage that comes along with it."

"An apt comparison, at least so far as I understand the practice. It is those precepts which are the most important ones taught at the dōjō. Most students think it's about learning self-defense or staying in shape. The true «空手家» (_karate-ka_) — student of karate — understands that learning and living the precepts is far more important than perfecting the movements."

"Don't they go hand-in-hand?" I inquired.

"If you see that, then you are far ahead of most students. They do, indeed, go hand-in-hand. Learning the physical disciplines aids learning the spiritual disciplines, and learning the spiritual disciplines gives meaning to the physical disciplines."

"As I said once before, I simply don't have the time to dedicate to karate training to do it properly. There may come a time when I do, but at the moment, I can't make the commitment. I believe you have much to teach me, and I want to learn from you, but at least until I complete my Bachelor's degree, it will have to be informal."

Ichirō nodded, "I do understand, and I hope that the day will come when I can act as your Sensei."

"If I understand the meaning of that word, I believe that this conversation shows you are already doing it."

"A very good insight, and there is much truth to it, but the physical is part of it, as I mentioned before."

"I want to continue this relationship, both for your wisdom and because you are my grandfather by marriage."

"Thank you, Jonathan-san. Keiko chose well, and you honor her memory."

"Something I will do for the rest of my life."

_March 14, 1984, Chicago, Illinois_

The string of attorney-free days came to a screeching halt on Wednesday afternoon when Gwen Meyer called.

"I received the certified copy of the subpoena," she said. "There is a complication in that I can't present my motion to quash directly because I'm not a member of the Ohio bar. Stefan Chojnicki's motion to quash was already denied, so the only way to actually have the subpoena quashed in Ohio is for you to hire counsel in Ohio, and it would very likely need to be someone not from Mr. Chojnicki's firm."

"Wonderful. I assume that means Mr. Walsh is going to press forward?"

"Yes. Along with the certified copy of the subpoena, I received notice that Mr. Walsh has retained counsel in Illinois."

"Who?"

"Brandon Littleton."

I couldn't help but laugh, "He'll have to try again. Mr. Littleton is a client, which means he has a conflict, right?"

"You deal directly with him, correct?"

"Yes, as trustee for a trust that is invested in my fund. In fact, I spoke to him yesterday afternoon, and he didn't mention it."

"The letter from Mr. Walsh is dated Friday. Let me call Mr. Walsh and find out. I'll call you back as soon as I speak to him."

"Thanks."

I went back to work, and about fifteen minutes later, Gwen Meyer called back.

"Mr. Littleton notified him of the conflict as soon as he received the files on Monday. The new attorney is Jack Switzer from Allen & Baker. Mr. Walsh retained him yesterday and verified over the phone that there were no conflicts."

"So what happens now?"

"I'll call Mr. Switzer and ask what he intends to do. You may want to consider simply acquiescing to the subpoena to stop a prolonged battle. I'm not advising one way or the other, mind you; this is totally up to you. That said, you expressed your concern for Heather Newton, and the longer we fight, the longer it will take for a resolution."

"That's a reasonable point. I know depositions have very few limitations, but is it possible to negotiate?"

"Always. What did you have in mind?"

"No questions about my personal life of any kind, except as it relates directly to Bev; no questions about Violet Clemmons of any kind and no deposition from her under any circumstances; and no questions about the form I signed in Antler, North Dakota."

"That first one, I'm sure we can achieve. About Miss Clemmons, what's your concern?"

"Just that I don't want to involve her in what is shaping up to be a knock-down, drag-out fight with Bev. She's undergone serious emotional trauma in the past, and I don't want her involved in any way, if that's possible."

"What is your relationship with her?"

"She's a close friend, and we've never been romantically involved. When she traveled with me, she had her own room, and I can prove that if need be. She now works for me as my administrative assistant, but that started after Bev was arrested."

"OK," Ms. Meyer replied. "I think I know how to handle that. As for the form you signed, you really don't want to cause them to scrutinize it, and telling them that it's off limits will point them straight to it."

"What do you suggest?" I asked.

She was quiet for a moment, then said, "I think we'll insist that any interactions with the government are off-limits, given the pending criminal charges. Other than acknowledging that you spoke to the Border Patrol and collected Heather from them, I'll put everything else off limits."

"If you can achieve those three conditions, I won't fight the subpoena. If not, then the gloves are off, and you take them down like Foreman took down Frazier."

Ms. Meyer laughed, "'Down goes Walsh'?"

"Something like that. The deposition should be somewhere we control, too. I can make a conference room available here. Make that a condition, but it's negotiable, unlike the other three."

"I'll call Mr. Switzer and get back to you shortly, though it's 3:45pm, so it might be tomorrow."

"Thanks, Gwen."

"You're welcome."

I ended the call, then turned to my Bloomberg terminal to continue research into some strange volume numbers in the currency market during the day. By 5:00pm, I concluded it was simply part of the 'random walk' of trades and that someone had needed to close out several positions against the British pound.

When I left the office, I made my way to Maxim's for dinner with Deanna.

"I'm going to say 'no' to Kelly," I said. "It just seems 'off' the way Ellie's plans for a last party before Keiko and I formally committed were 'off'. And this does not implicate any other relationship or future possibility. It's just 'no' for this specific request."

"This is where I need a Vulcan mind meld, so I can understand your thinking."

"I can try to explain. The short version is that the idea of having sex with someone I haven't seen, let alone even said two words to, seems wrong. This is different from CeCi because we had some time together before we went to bed together. What Kelly proposed was basically showing up at her apartment with her and having sex with her and her roommate."

"Anonymous sex wouldn't work for me, and probably not for most people. It's even different from picking up a girl at a party. Even having a drink together or dancing once makes a difference, at least as I see it."

"Showing up at my place with a bottle of Jack?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.

"And yet, that met your basic criteria. Did either of us agree, in advance, to have sex with each other?"

"I certainly didn't because I didn't know Sophie and Ivy were bringing you with them."

"And while I bought the bottle of Jack Daniel's, we talked and had pizza before Sophie made her suggestion, which I could have rejected. But by then, I had met the 'one dance' or 'one drink' standard I mentioned before. And I think it fits how you handled last Saturday with Stefie."

"Point taken. Is Kelly going to be upset?"

"I can't imagine she would, but do you care?"

"Not particularly, no. I mean, I try my best not to needlessly upset someone, but I also won't do something I don't think is in my best interest just to avoid upsetting someone."

"Nor should you! That would make you a doormat. You don't let anyone push you around, and that's a good thing. You listen to advice, but you make your own decisions, which is exactly how your closest friends want it. And I'm positive that's how your bosses at Spurgeon want it."

"It is."

"Are you seeing Stefi again?"

I chuckled, "What sane man would refuse a girl who said she wanted to perform oral sex on him for ten hours straight?"

Deanna laughed, "Boys and blowjobs!"

"Let's just say I have never had a woman treat oral sex as worship, and she is a devout worshiper!"

"That good?"

"It was a spiritual experience!"

"Are you going to continue seeing her?"

"I'm playing it by ear, but I won't let it distract me from the people who matter most to me. You can take that to the bank."

When we finished our meal, we headed to the school, where we had our final nude modeling session, though this time with Alexa wearing my unbuttoned dress shirt. At the end of the session, Claire reminded everyone that the following week was Spring Break, so there were no classes.

After I dressed, I let Kelly know I wasn't available, and she seemed to take it in stride without being upset. I also let Stefi know that I'd see her on Saturday, and she was very happy.

"Did Kelly say anything?" Deanna asked.

"Just that she was disappointed, and the offer was still there for any Wednesday for the rest of the semester. I said I'd keep it in mind."

"Usually you're direct; why not just say 'no'."

"I did say 'no', and she extended an open-ended invitation which I acknowledged. I didn't tell her I was going home to wash my hair or whatever fiction girls made up in High School."

"In the 50s!" Deanna laughed. "I know it's a trope, but I doubt anyone has used that phony excuse in twenty years!"

"And yet, it got my point across — if I'd said 'not tonight', that would be different. I simply thanked her for the invitation and said I had to decline. She didn't ask why; she just extended the invitation should I change my mind. And, as I said, I acknowledged that."

"I didn't mean to make you defensive," Deanna said. "I was simply commenting on your usual style."

"I do know how to use finesse, in addition to being blunt; I just don't do it very often, which is why you're surprised. I was fairly blunt with Anna on Monday when she came to apologize for how she handled the situation with Bev."

"Now? Out of the blue?"

"No. I asked Mr. Matheson to approve my vacation time and booked a week in Saint Martin. She came to see me right after that."

"Foolish. She should have waited so that it wasn't so obvious. What dates?"

"December 15th through the 23rd. I wanted a time when school was out."

"Who's going?"

"I left that open, but you'll be invited for sure."

"Thanks!"

_March 16, 1984, Chicago, Illinois_

Thursday had been an attorney-free day, but Friday wasn't. While I was reading a news report about the kidnapping of a political officer from the US Embassy in Lebanon, my phone rang.

"Research, Kane."

"Jonathan, it's Gwen Meyer. Do you have a moment?"

"I do."

"They rejected your request to place those topics off limits as they're in the affidavits, and they want to be able to question you on them. I tried for any kind of limitation, but Mr. Switzer and Mr. Walsh refused to accept any restrictions."

"Wonderful."

"Unfortunately, it gets worse. They intend to depose Miss Clemmons after they've deposed you."

"Send over your standard retainer form. I'll pay for you to protect Violet. I want every means possible used to prevent that, including appealing any rulings. Scorched earth. They are NOT going to like what they hear in my deposition, and I'm not going to pull any punches or couch things to protect Bev from looking batshit insane."

"Take a deep breath, Jonathan," Gwen suggested.

I did.

"I understand, Gwen," I said. "I get it. But going after Violet is beyond the pale. That's Bev retaliating because she knows how protective I am of Violet. She's lashing out, and I'm going to make her pay. But, fight my deposition, and we'll see where things go."

"OK. You absolutely do not want to travel to Ohio until this is sorted out."

"I have no plans to go there until a business trip in September. If this is still in play, I'll fly the client here instead. What happens now?"

"They file a notice with the court, I appear as your counsel, and a date is set for a hearing. They'll try to expedite it, but usually, hearings are set two to four weeks after an appearance is filed. I have seen them held on the same day, but there are no exigent circumstances that would warrant that. I will need your calendar, and I can use that to object to dates when you aren't available."

"The only client meeting I have before the end of May is next Tuesday. Of course, other things could come up."

"OK. When I hear from them, I'll ask again. It's possible they'll file today, but more likely, it'll be Monday, with my first appearance a week later. I'll keep you posted."

"Thanks. If you fax the form, I'll have Violet sign it and have it couriered back with a check."

"Thanks, Jonathan. I'll do that right away."

We ended the call, and I used the intercom to ask Violet to come into my office. She walked in a few seconds later, and I indicated she should close the door.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

I got up and went to the couch, sat down, and patted the cushion next to me. She came over and sat down.

"Bev declared war," I said. "She instructed her attorneys to try to depose you."

"What?!" Violet gasped.

"I have no idea what they want to ask, but you can be sure it will be to try to get me into trouble in some way or make it look as if I did something wrong. I asked Gwen Meyer to represent you. She's going to send over a form you need to sign. I'll write a check for the retainer, and then you can have Naomi courier it back, charged to me personally."

"You're paying?"

"Yes. And I told Gwen to go scorched earth to protect you. I'm fighting the subpoena, but if the court orders me to sit for the deposition, I will. If they order you to sit, we'll appeal it all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court. I promised to protect you, and I will."

"The Illinois Supreme Court? Really?"

"There is a method to my madness," I replied. "According to Nelson, it can take a year or more to move through the appeals process. That's another year Heather stays with Jim and Julie unless Bev drops her attempt to depose you."

"Won't that be expensive?"

"And worth every penny to make sure you don't have to sit for a deposition. Nothing you could say should be able to hurt me, but lawyers are notorious for twisting things. For one, I would expect them to suggest that we were lovers and conspired to steal Heather from Bev."

"WHAT?!" Violet gasped.

"It's the logical play on their part. Remember, they need to find some way to show I had no authority to give Heather to Jim and Julie, and maybe even that the US government had no authority to give Heather to me. They'll use every dirty trick in the book."

"That's horrible!"

"Which is exactly why you don't want to sit for a deposition. I don't, either, but if they force me to, I'll state clearly that Bev was irrational, erratic, and unfit to be Heather's mom."

"You believe that?"

"Sadly, I do. But the deeper I bury Bev, the more desperate they'll be to discredit me and impeach my testimony. Unfortunately, that means going after you and our relationship, among other things."

"Is there any way to stop this?"

"One. And that is Bev going to her parents, reconciling, and agreeing to attend counseling."

"Will they accept that? Her parents, I mean?"

"That's what they've wanted from the start; that and for Heather to be safe and be in a stable situation. Anyway, when the fax arrives, read it over, sign it, and I'll give you a check to courier to Ms. Meyer."

"Thanks for taking care of me."

"You're welcome."

"Can I ask about Saint Martin?"

"I figured we'd discuss it on Saturday. I haven't made any decisions."

"I can't take vacation until next year, right?"

"Unfortunately, that's true, but there's also the complication of you working here and my destination being one of Noel Spurgeon's houses. You know what everyone would think."

Violet laughed softly, "And you remember what I said about that!"

"I do. Have you heard anything like that?"

"One of the secretaries asked me if you were as good as rumored, and I said I had no way of knowing. I don't think she believed me. I thought Anna wasn't like that."

"It wasn't Anna," I replied. "It was a secretary who no longer works here. About three months after I started, the opportunity presented itself, and I foolishly took advantage of it. It was a huge mistake and part of why I resolved not to date anyone from Spurgeon. I should have stuck to that decision instead of seeing Anna, and once that ended, I promised myself I'd never do that again. You and Bianca are exceptions because they were pre-existing relationships."

"But you and I haven't…"

"No, we haven't; you and I are intimate friends, just not lovers. But we're very close and, to be honest, closer than if we were dating. My closest guy friends are Jack and Costas; you and Deanna are my closest female friends. Bianca is slightly different category due to our baby, and Keiko was in a category all her own."

"Which is why you said what you did about the future, right?"

"Yes. And we should save this conversation for tomorrow. I don't have class due to Spring Break, so I'll spend the morning with you. I'm meeting a friend at 1:00pm."

"Remember, I meet Nancy tomorrow. I think you could come along."

"You know I'm happy to speak with her because she's helping."

"Good. And the following week, you have your childbirth class, right?"

"Yes. We'll have lunch, but I'll have to leave by 12:30."

"OK."

Violet got up and left the office, and I went to my desk and wrote out a check to Gwen Meyer. Violet came to get it about ten minutes later and took the form and the check to the mailroom so it could be couriered back to Ms. Meyer.

After the end of the workday, I met Jack, Kristy, and CeCi in the lobby, and we went to Star of Siam for dinner. After dinner, we saw _Against All Odds_, then went for ice cream. When we arrived home, CeCi invited me to her room to spend the night.

_March 17, 1984, Chicago, Illinois_

"Did you want to discuss the future," I asked Violet after we cleaned up the kitchen following breakfast.

"I think maybe it's better to wait until after our session with Nancy, if that's OK."

"Absolutely."

"I'm not sure if you remember, but I normally do my grocery shopping while you're in class. Could we go?"

'Of course."

We put on our jackets and left the house to walk to Jewel. We chatted amiably as we walked, and when we turned the corner onto Halsted, a young Hispanic guy who was walking quickly and not paying attention bumped into me.

"Oh, sorry!" he declared.

"No harm, no foul," I replied. "I met a guy who became a good friend when he nearly ran me down with his bicycle! I'm Jonathan Kane."

"Jorge González," he replied.

"What do you do, Jorge?"

"I'm a student at IIT. You?"

"Research analyst and stockbroker. This is my friend, Violet Clemmons, who's my administrative assistant. We're also both part-time students at Circle."

"Stockbroker? You're not much older than I am!"

I nodded, "True. I had an opportunity, and I seized it. What's your major?"

"Electrical engineering. Do you live in Bridgeport?"

"Rogers Park for me," I said. "Violet lives in University Village. I take it you live in Bridgeport?"

"No, I live on campus. I'm scouting for an apartment for the Summer and next year so I don't have to live in the dorms."

"Chicago native?"

"Puerto Rico. You?"

"Goshen, Ohio," I replied. "It's near Cincinnati. Violet is from Chicagoland."

"Sorry to rush off, but I have an appointment to see an apartment. It's actually in University Village."

"I used to rent on West Polk," I replied.

"That's where I'm headed. The woman's last name is Andros."

I laughed, "Small world. She and her late husband were my landlords, and I dated their daughter for a time. They're good people. Let me give you my card. If you run into any trouble with them, which I doubt, give me a call."

"You'd do that?"

"I'm a decent judge of character, and you look like an honest, upstanding guy, and you apologized for bumping into me when it really was my fault for not paying close enough attention."

"I wasn't looking where I was going," he said.

"Even so, Violet and I were walking side by side and taking up more than half the sidewalk."

I pulled the small case with my business cards in it and handed one to Jorge.

"Thanks," he said. "I need to run."

"Just be careful!"

He smiled and nodded, then extended his hand. We shook, and he was on his way.

"I can't believe he's trying to rent from Lily's mom!" Violet declared.'

"As I said, it's a small world."

We continued along Halsted, past Ichirō's dōjō, and walked into Jewel to do Violet's weekly shopping.