My dad and I were headed out of Dammert, intending to sit a little longer outside when we saw Lillian making her way back from the Dammert dining room. She said hello to us, or to me.

"So you're still in high school then?" she asked me, not for the first time.

"I must look youthful today," I said, knowing I didn't. "I'm way past high school. I'm in my forties."

"Do you know how far we have to go down the hall to get downtown?" she asked.

"I think you've got to go pretty far."

"I haven't gone shopping in so long," she said.

I didn't reply but she continued.

"I'm in school, too," she said. "Some of my students, when they get a free ride, boy it really makes my blood pressure go up to here."

She raised her hand, palm down, up to the top of her forehead. Of course I didn't mention that I was one of those students who got a free ride, thanks to my parents, to my dad and to his clients, thanks to the stock market.

We continued on. We saw Sister Therese-Ann again, exchanging nods and smiles. We saw her earlier in the lunch room. She introduced herself to me and my dad a few weeks ago. She seems to like to visit with people in the lunch room, to drop by and say hello, ask a few questions...

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