ndwichesawoofthemfeltmuchbetterwheomachswerefulndtheywerenolongercold.AnarrayofbottlesofhotliquorsatthebarcaughtEmmanuel’seyeandremindedhimofhisfavoritepastime–drinking!Hesnappedhisfithereceptionistattheterbythedoorandcalledout,“Abottleofgoodwhiskey.”Thewomanarentlyhostess/ownersooncameoverwiththewhiskeyandabucketofice.

    “Wantsomeice?”EmmanueskedSalina.

    “I’lldrinkthewayyoudo”sheanswered.“Whatdoyoumeanbywantingsomeice?Idon’tuand.”

    “Inormallydrinkmiraight,butsomepeoplepreferaddiodilutetheirdrinks.Theythinkit’smorefvorfulthatway.It’stoeachhisown.Whataboutyou?Whichwaywouldyoutakeit?”

    “I’lltakeitdiluted.Givemesomeice.”Emmanuelpouredoutsomewhiskeyintssandaddedsomeicesaying,

    “Ilikemiraightwithoutaddinganythingtoit.Whydiluteaperfectlygooddrinkwithice?”Hepouredhimselfafullgssofwhiskeyandtulp.“Youknow,whenmyfriendsandIdrinktogether,theywouldpssofliquorandputmeihegss.Iwouldsinktothebottomofthegss,gulpdownsomeliquorandthenraisemyselfupagain.That’sthewaytodrink!”

    “Really?That’siing!Ohesedays,wemustfindasecludedspotandtryoutyourwayofdrinking.ouroutafullgssofthefiliquor,shrinkourselvestinalsizeandjumpintothegss.Thatwouldbeiing.”Thetwoofthemdrankgssaftergssuntilthebottletyahemselveswerequitetipsy.Havingbeenbusymostoftheday,theyweregettingsleepyandfelsleepattheirtable.Thenightdeepenedandpatronsbeganinginforasnackhtcap.Thewoman,arentlytheowherestaurant,cametotheirtableandpushedEmmanuel’sarmssaying,

    “Hey,sir.Thisisarestaurantnotamotel.Thisisnotapceforyoutosleep;youhavetogotoamotelforthat.Ifyouhavefiing,youhadbetterleave.Weodobusinesshere.”EmmanuelwasangryatbeingrudelyawakenedfromadeepsleepandwasabouttoexplodewhenSalinatooksomethingoutandputitintotheowner’shand.Thewomanlookedatitandhereyesgrewrgeinsurprise.Itwasabrilliantsquaresapphire.

    7

    “Thisisforyou”saidSalinainaciliatoryvoice.“It’steaired.Willyouletusrestforawhilehere?Wewillleavewhenthedaybreaks.Willthatbealright?”

    “Ofcourse,ofcourse”sherepliedargesmileonherface.Sheknewarealgemwhenshesawoneandrealizeditwasagenuinejewel.“Youmaystayforaslongasyoulike.Butifyoudon’tfeelfortable,whynoteupstairswithmetomyroom.Thereisabedthere.Yourestforabitanditwillbedaybreak.Pleasefollowme.”EmmanuendSalinalookedateachother.Salina’seyesseemedtosay,“Seehowpowerfulmoneyis?”Emmanuelshookhisheadandhadtoadmitthatmoneywasindeedpowerfulforiwinklingofagedanangryandarrogantwomanwhowasabouttoevictthemfromthepremisesintoafawningandsubservientone,eagertoplease.

    Whentheywokeuptheday,itwasalreadynoontime.Refreshedafteragoodnight’ssleeptheywerephysicallyrestoredandwalkeddowntotherestaurantinradiatih.Thehostess/reetedthemallsmilesaskingsolicitously,

    “Ihopeyouhadagoodnight’ssleep.Areyouhungry?Wouldyoulikesomethi?”Salinashookherhead,thinking,“Yesterdaywasaflukeaostophere.Withallthishugeamountofmohme,whoosampleyourbasicfastfoodanymore?”Thewomantinued,“Wouldyouliketogosight-seeingarouherearequiteafewsicspotsworthseeing.Youareweletoebackafterwards.Foodandboardareallfreeofcharge.Hopeyoueback.

ndwichesawoofthemfeltmuchbetterwheomachswerefulndtheywerenolongercold.AnarrayofbottlesofhotliquorsatthebarcaughtEmmanuel’seyeandremindedhimofhisfavoritepastime–drinking!Hesnappedhisfithereceptionistattheterbythedoorandcalledout,“Abottleofgoodwhiskey.”Thewomanarentlyhostess/ownersooncameoverwiththewhiskeyandabucketofice.

    “Wantsomeice?”EmmanueskedSalina.

    “I’lldrinkthewayyoudo”sheanswered.“Whatdoyoumeanbywantingsomeice?Idon’tuand.”

    “Inormallydrinkmiraight,butsomepeoplepreferaddiodilutetheirdrinks.Theythinkit’smorefvorfulthatway.It’stoeachhisown.Whataboutyou?Whichwaywouldyoutakeit?”

    “I’lltakeitdiluted.Givemesomeice.”Emmanuelpouredoutsomewhiskeyintssandaddedsomeicesaying,

    “Ilikemiraightwithoutaddinganythingtoit.Whydiluteaperfectlygooddrinkwithice?”Hepouredhimselfafullgssofwhiskeyandtulp.“Youknow,whenmyfriendsandIdrinktogether,theywouldpssofliquorandputmeihegss.Iwouldsinktothebottomofthegss,gulpdownsomeliquorandthenraisemyselfupagain.That’sthewaytodrink!”

    “Really?That’siing!Ohesedays,wemustfindasecludedspotandtryoutyourwayofdrinking.ouroutafullgssofthefiliquor,shrinkourselvestinalsizeandjumpintothegss.Thatwouldbeiing.”Thetwoofthemdrankgssaftergssuntilthebottletyahemselveswerequitetipsy.Havingbeenbusymostoftheday,theyweregettingsleepyandfelsleepattheirtable.Thenightdeepenedandpatronsbeganinginforasnackhtcap.Thewoman,arentlytheowherestaurant,cametotheirtableandpushedEmmanuel’sarmssaying,

    “Hey,sir.Thisisarestaurantnotamotel.Thisisnotapceforyoutosleep;youhavetogotoamotelforthat.Ifyouhavefiing,youhadbetterleave.Weodobusinesshere.”EmmanuelwasangryatbeingrudelyawakenedfromadeepsleepandwasabouttoexplodewhenSalinatooksomethingoutandputitintotheowner’shand.Thewomanlookedatitandhereyesgrewrgeinsurprise.Itwasabrilliantsquaresapphire.

    7

    “Thisisforyou”saidSalinainaciliatoryvoice.“It’steaired.Willyouletusrestforawhilehere?Wewillleavewhenthedaybreaks.Willthatbealright?”

    “Ofcourse,ofcourse”sherepliedargesmileonherface.Sheknewarealgemwhenshesawoneandrealizeditwasagenuinejewel.“Youmaystayforaslongasyoulike.Butifyoudon’tfeelfortable,whynoteupstairswithmetomyroom.Thereisabedthere.Yourestforabitanditwillbedaybreak.Pleasefollowme.”EmmanuendSalinalookedateachother.Salina’seyesseemedtosay,“Seehowpowerfulmoneyis?”Emmanuelshookhisheadandhadtoadmitthatmoneywasindeedpowerfulforiwinklingofagedanangryandarrogantwomanwhowasabouttoevictthemfromthepremisesintoafawningandsubservientone,eagertoplease.

    Whentheywokeuptheday,itwasalreadynoontime.Refreshedafteragoodnight’ssleeptheywerephysicallyrestoredandwalkeddowntotherestaurantinradiatih.Thehostess/reetedthemallsmilesaskingsolicitously,

    “Ihopeyouhadagoodnight’ssleep.Areyouhungry?Wouldyoulikesomethi?”Salinashookherhead,thinking,“Yesterdaywasaflukeaostophere.Withallthishugeamountofmohme,whoosampleyourbasicfastfoodanymore?”Thewomantinued,“Wouldyouliketogosight-seeingarouherearequiteafewsicspotsworthseeing.Youareweletoebackafterwards.Foodandboardareallfreeofcharge.Hopeyoueback.