I was sitting in the living room reading about ten minutes later when she came in the house, slamming the door behind her. She threw her tennis racquet in a chair and said, "Hi, Tiger, how is the snake business?" She had on white shorts and her legs were sunburned. "I'm fine," I said as I sat with Superman in one hand. "Just for that I'll raise the price to another dollar," I thought as I waited. I saw Alice unlock her bedroom door and walk in. A couple of minutes later I saw her come out wearing a green bathrobe and carrying a yellow towel over one arm. She disappeared into the bathroom and then I heard her scream. "Tommy, come here, quick," she hollared hoarsely. I stood up and casually walked into the bathroom. She was backed up against one wall and she was pointing a shaking finger at the tub. "There is a snake in there," she said. "Well, what do you know." I answered as I looked in the tub at the wiggling animal with the black and red tongue. "Get it out," she said again, and her voice rose almost to a scream again. Her blonde hair was messed up and her face was red. "Oh I couldn't do a thing like that. The bath tub is its new home." "I'm late," she hollered. "Jerry is picking me up in fifteen minutes and I have to take a bath. Get that snake out." "It'll cost," I answered, sitting down on the edge of the tub. The snake was still swimming. "You little monster," she screamed. "You did this on purpose. Well I won't pay you to get that damn snake out of there. I'll do it myself." For a minute I acutally thought she was going to. She reached her hand down into the cold water of the 10 tub. I don't know if she touched the snake or not, but she jumped up and screamed, "Okay, get the snake out and I'll pay you the fifty cents." I was still sitting on the edge of the bath tub as I said, "The price has gone up. It will now cost you a dollar." She stood there for a minute and I was afraid she was going to slug me, and then she looked in the tub at the snake again. Her voice quivered a little, as she said, "Okay you little monster. You win. But you'll be sorry." "Go get the money," I said. "I don't trust you after this morning." She walked ou,t of the bathroom, and when she came back with the dollar in her hand, I already had the snake back in its bottle. I took the dollar and walked quickly out of the bathroom. I knew she wouldn't attack me with the snake in my hand. "Maybe I should carry one all the time," I thought, "for protection." Then I walked back down the hall to my bedroom to get ready to go to the show. Butch and I would even have enough money for popcorn tonight. MIND Linda Owen Bogey Men People find All have been States of mind. 11