Science reporter

Science reporter 

Science reporter Published this article page no  45  “Is everything ten dollars?” he asked. “No,” she replied, smiling as if to indicate that more intimate things would rightly cost far more. He took out another ten and handed it to her. As she tucked it, he was unable to resist giving her a little peck on the cheek, breathing, “Lila, tonight money is no object.” “Thank you so much,” she said, “twenty dollars.” “Twenty? For what?” Wagging her finger at him charmingly, she replied, “Kissing my cheek.” “Oh,” he said, “I should have known.” Then, feeling just a tad upset, he reached out and pinched her arm. “How much is that?” “Thirty,” she said. “For pinching you?” “It would usually be only fifteen dollars, because it comes under Innocent Contact. But, since I could get a bruise due to its intensity, it comes with a fifteen-dollar surcharge.” “I see,” he said, and took out his wallet. “Kind of inflationary, isn’t it?” “Isn’t everything?” she asked cannily, and then added, “On my last job, I had to give them away.” “You did?” he replied, wishing he had known her then. “Why?” “I was a stewardess.” “Oh,” he said, with understanding but certain that by now women’s advocacy groups would have overcome such a flagrant incursion into an unsuspecting lady’s space. He paid her for stroking her hair and pinching her arm and decided that for convenience, he would leave his wallet on the table. There didn’t seem to be anybody nearby who would run away with it while he had his eyes on her. “What else do you offer?” he asked with wily charm. “Oh, lots of things,” she said, visibly excited. “Like what?” “Well, intelligent conversation.” “You offer that?” “Yes, a lot of men seem to want it. So we have to take a course in it. Pick any topic – philosophy, politics, literature, finances. I got a Pink Pussycat in finances.” “You did?” “Yes. It’s the highest grade.” “Good for you,” Todd told her. Being a bit of a literary buff himself and eager to dwell on romance, he said, “Let’s talk about Romeo and Juliet.” “Sure,” Lila said, and, looking into the distance, as if reciting from something she had memorized, she went on, “Romeo and Juliet is a play by William Shakespeare. It is based on the timeless theme, ‘The course of true love never runs smooth science reporter magazine buy.

Science reporter