Lisa went about her duties as briskly as possible; she was looking for some extra time to tidy herself up a bit before she returned to visit Gary. She collected everyone’s dinner tray except for his, which she purposely saved for last. This way she could linger a bit with him in his room at the end of her shift. First, however, she had to tend to Mrs. Graham’s pillows that were in need of fluffing, and then she had to go to Mrs. Raleigh’s nurse’s station to sign out. This being done, she took the opportunity to hop into the ladies room and survey the damage done to her appearance by her day’s work. Luckily she found that somehow she was still looking pretty good, despite all the running around she was doing. She touched up her hair, reapplied her lipstick, and made her way back to Gary’s room.

“I’m here to pick up your tray.” Lisa said as she casually strolled in the room. She noticed that his food was half eaten. “Sorry that the amenities apparently aren’t to your liking.”

“Well what is lacking with the food, certainly isn’t lacking with the help,” was Gary’s quick reply.

“I bet you say that to all the girls,” Lisa said half pleased with his wit and half wondering if he was just a play boy.

“It’s sort of like this. I try to be cordial to everyone I meet, that’s just the way my mother brought me up. You know, southern manners and such. Then there are the times that I say what I say just because it suits me, because I want to, not because manners dictate.”

“And now?” Lisa asked, “Which is it now?”

“Well, my beauty, you should have no need to ask.”

Lisa ouched from that one. She slipped up and showed some insecurity, “Well, point for him,” she conceded to herself.

Quickly recovering she said, “Well, where is your mother anyway? Shouldn’t she be here?”