High School Confidential

    An audio version of this post can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umh9pQzd3ZM&feature=youtu.be

   Cheryl set the tea kettle back on the stove. "Do you want some more coffee while I'm here?"
   "Sure," I replied.
   She grabbed the coffee pot and brought it over to the table. "So, does Clara know that Uncle Billy went out with Alma?"
   I held my cup out. "She knows."
   Cheryl filled it. "What did she say?"
   "Thanks, Hon." I set the cup back on the table. "She said, 'I hope William gets lucky ... at the casino' ... I think the pause was deliberate."
   Cheryl swirled around the few ounces of coffee left in the pot. "Are you done with this?"
   "Yep."
   She walked the pot over to sink. "That's funny."
   "What?"
   "Clara's response about Uncle Billy."
   "Oh ... yeah. Anyway, she's going to dinner with Alex tonight."
   "Alex Heath ... the book store owner?" She rinsed out the coffee pot and set it on the counter.
   "That's the one."
   She walked back to the table an sat down. "Is this a retaliatory date?"
   "What do you mean?"
   "You know ... is she going out with Alex to get even with Uncle Billy?"
   I watched her bob the teabag up and down in her cup. "I don't think so ... I think the date had been set before she found out about Billy and Alma."
   "Hmmm ... so maybe Uncle Billy was getting back at her?"
   I blew on my coffee and took a sip. "No, I don't think he knew."
   "So, are they just going their separate ways?"
   "Who knows? I actually think they care about each other."
   She squeezed the tea bag and set in on a napkin. "They have a funny way of showing it."
   "It's complicated ... you should know about these things."
   Cheryl smiled. "It would make sense ... if they were still in high school."
   I nodded. "Yeah, I know ... sometimes I feel like I should be passing notes back and forth for them."
   Cheryl picked up the paper. "Oh, hey, did you read this article about the guy who restored his Volkswagen Van?"
   I cringed. "Ah ... no, I didn't."
   She looked over the top of the paper at me. "He says it took him three years."
   "Yeah, well, a van is lot more complicated than a sports car."
   "So, when are you going to start on your toy out there?"
   "Soon."