rents' anniversary--what a scene."

"Alcohol consumed?"

"Lord! It was touching, really, my folks and their old friends toasting
each other and their fallen comrades."

"Ah," Joe said.

"What's new with you?" she asked.

"Oh, you know--rejection and solitude." Alison's face flashed before
him; he apologized silently.

"Why don't I believe you?" Mo asked.

"It's chromosomal; you can't help it. Anyway, I was rejected. By Manoa.
They didn't like my poem. They didn't even say they didn't like it,
just sent it back."

"Builds character," Mo said.

"Listen, Mo, now that you feel sorry for me, how about dinner next
week? An old friend of mine is coming with his new lady; I think it
would be a good time."

"Hmmm . . . what day? I'm free Thursday and Friday."

"Good, they're coming Thursday."

"Fine," Mo said. "Give me a call. If I'm out, leave a message telling
me where to meet you."

"Will do."

The following Thursday, the lei stands at the airport were busy. Joe
made it to the arrival gate just in time. There was Morgan with a new
haircut, looking somewhat larger than life in a short sleeved shirt,
wearing chinos rather than jeans, striding along with a small blonde
woman. She saw Joe approach and flashed a thousand watt smile. "Aloha,"
Joe said, hanging leis around their necks.

"Aloha," Morgan said. "Edie, this is Joe."

"Edie Rowantree," she said through the dazzle, extending her hand.

"Joe Burke. How was the flight?"

"I hate flying," she said. "We encountered turbulence in the middle of
the ocean. I asked Morgan if there was any hope. 'There is always
hope,"' she imitated.

"Baggage claim," Morgan said. A short time later they were in a cab
speeding toward Waikiki.

"I thought we might have dinner with a friend of mine, if you aren't
too tired."

"Oh, good," Edie said. "We spent last night in San Francisco to break
up the flight. We aren't tired, are we Morgan?"

"Certainly not. Where are we?"

"Passing the old cannery," Joe said. "That's where Alphonse showed me
the right way to drive a fork lift."

Morgan explained, "Joe was too--what was it--delicate?"

"Careful," Joe said.

"Maybe you could write a story about it," Edie said. She made it sound
completely possible, like--why not have it done by dark?

"Maybe I will. Good choice, the Moana, by the way."

"A friend told me that they have windows that actually open," Edie
said. "I want to hear surf. Then we're going to the other is