Bette- Well, Obi Wan, I haven’t a clue and I have no idea where to look, so
unless you have some answers for me you better leave the wisdom tyrade to
Shane…maybe she needs some help at the salon.

Alice- Ok, enough of the lamentations. Get your self-pitying ***** out of that
couch and get ready. NO one has the answers for you. You’ll have to find them
like we all do…it’s called life Bette. You’re lucky that you have what you
do…so many other people have so much less. And you’re a stunning
woman…(jokingly)..even at your age! We’re not going skydiving Bette, we’re
just going to an evening at the Planet, where you get to sit with your friends
and enjoy the company, and maybe the “view”…some sweet young things dancing the night away…

Bette- (she glares…) Ok Al, enough with the cougar references, what do I
look like for crying out loud?

Alice- a striking, intelligent, older woman with distintive class and
understated ***** appeal that, in unison, overcomes any unsuspecting young lady
that catches your eye…and then some…you always had that B, even at your
worst these past months, years.

Bette- (Being coy and a little playful…) And I thought you were over me…

Alice- Shut up cougar lady…I am…I’m just not so petty that I can’t admit
the truth.

(It was the truth. But it was a relatively recent phenomenon, after she came
out. She had spent the beginnings of her young adult life doing what she
thought was right and doing it relatively well, through school, church, home,
but always searching…she didn’t quite know for what. She spent her life
working hard, worrying over things like grades, career, social appearances and
had the anxiety and adreneline to just move along, go through the obstacles,
and just keep moving, doing what she had to do. But this is all there was.

Everyone around her seemed to notice that there was something missing – no man, no romance, no love. She noticed it too but felt resigned to what she thought was her fate. She dated here and there but never had a serious relationship. As she got older the comments came more frequently, from her friends, but more so from family acquaintences and her family members…”do you have a boyfriend, shall we set you up with him? Oh, focussed on career I guess?” And so it went.