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           Myesteemedcolleague,CroakerNelson,wouldnotbesittingacrossfromusifwhatyouaretalkingaboutwas‘faithhealing.’It’svoluntarycontrolofthebody.Igrok."

           "Sorry.Weallknowthatyoudo.Weknow."

           "Mmm?IdisliketocallMikealiarbecauseheisn’t.Buttheladhappenstobeprejudicedinmycase."

           Samshookhishead."I’vebeentalkingwithyouallthroughdinner.Iwantedtocheckitmyself,despitewhatMikesaid.Yougrok.I’mwonderingwhatnewthingsyoucoulddisclosetousifyoutroubledtolearnthelanguage?"

           "Nothing.I’manoldmanwithlittletocontributetoanything."

           "Iinsistonreservingmyopinion.AlltherestoftheFirstCalledhavehadtotacklethelanguagetomakeanyrealprogress.Eventhethreeyou’vekeptwithyouhavehadsomepowerfulcoaching,beingkeptintranceduringmostoftheshortdaysandthefewoccasionswe’vehadthemwithus.Allbutyou?andyoudon’treallyneedit.Unlessyouwanttowipespaghettifromyourfacewithoutatowel,whichIgrokyouaren’tinterestedinanyhow."

           "Onlytoobserveit."

           Mostoftheothershadleftthetable,leavingquietlyandwithoutformalitywhentheywished.Ruthcameoverandstoodbythem."Areyoutwogoingtosithereallnight?Orshallwemoveyououtwiththedishes?"

           "I’mhenpecked.Comeon,Jubal."Samstoppedtokisshiswife.

           Theystoppedonlymomentarilyintheroomwiththestereotank."Anythingnew?"askedSam.