Beyond the Fault Line

I made my way to his very private booth when this gorgeous young thing ran right into me. She looked up at me and said in a very drunken slur, "Hi, my name is Polly Anne, and I'm looking for a date." She giggled. I laughed and told her she'd better be careful. "You never know who is lurking in this bar waiting to hurt you," and I moved on to Bob, thinking, Damn, that could have been my chance, and Bob blew it for me. Oh well, I can always try the next one.

Bob told me what he has been up to all these years--Southern California University on a scholarship, got his law degree, and became the sheriff of Pasadena County. Now it's up to me to tell him what I have been up to. Do I tell him about all the murders? No, I shall not tell him about that. I guess I need to tell him about the college days and why I am just now getting back home. So I told him, "I went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Cambridge in Boston and got my PhD in rocket science and trajectory, and I just got hired at NASA, working in the science labs, building the rockets for the Mars rover. I guess I'm glad Mother pushed me into going to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After all, I didn't think I was smart enough to be there, but I guess I was since I earned my PhD, but now I can't get her to shut up about it. I need to find my own place soon before she drives me nuts. God forbid I had failed--she would have killed me."

Bob laughed at that and said, "Yeah, I remember how your mother was, a little crazy. My mom wanted me to be an attorney, and now look at me, ha ha, I'm a cop, and, boy, was she pissed off when I came home and told her I was in the academy, but she finally calmed down and started talking to me, and now she sees how happy I am in my job."

"Ha ha, not my mom. She will never be happy unless I'm doing something more important than my dad. I swear she hates him. God only knows why. I think she wants to embarrass him at NASA, but I really don't think it bothers him. He's more proud than embarrassed. It surely backfired on her because Dad is now the cock of the walk over there at NASA, in the janitor's department. None of them can believe he has a kid that has his PhD as a rocket scientist. Dad walks around with his chest puffed out, all pleased as punch. We talked a bit more when I excused myself and told him that I have an appointment with a guy who's renting a house. Boy! I sure need to get away from my mother's house before I kill her. Ha ha."

"Ten-four, William. Just don't break any laws getting there. Ha ha."

"Not a chance, Bob."