knewwhathewantedandsaid,“Alright,alright,I’lddsomemilkinit.”Sayingso,shewenttothekit,gotsomemilkandaddedittohisbowl.Maureenwassatisfiedthenaoeathappily.

    CharinalookedatDimitristillsleepingsoundlyonthesofaandthought,“Whydon’tImakeaninerforthispoormanbeleagueredbyfate,thishomelesspersonwhoisatthesametimenobleasapoet?”Charinapeeledanddiassortmentoffruitsandmadeabowloffruitsad.Sheheatedovermediumheatsomeofthecmchowdershehadmadethatmandputsomebreadintheoven.Theookasteakfromtherefrigeratatheredupasmallbottleofgasandafryingpanaoutintothebackyardtocookit.Sheworkedsilently,herthoughtsstillonDimitri’smagicalstory.Shedidnotturnonthelightafraiditwoulddispersethetranquility.NoohatDimitrimadeuseofthisshortnaptogobacktohisKingdomofDreamsandcarriedoutearth-shakiions.

    CharinaandDimitrisatattwoendsofthebeautifullyspreaddiningtablewithdlesburningbrightlyintheirsilverholders.Dimitriatewithgusto,appreciativelyexpressinghisheartfeltthanks.Asahomelesspersonhesidereditluckytobeabletofillhisstomach.Itwasinceivabletohavehisbeautifulhostessgotothetroubleofcookingasumptuousfeastjustforhim.Charinadidmudjustnibbledoucesadandafewsliokedmeat.

    “Don’tsaysuchthings”shesaid,interruptinghiseffusivethanks.“Tomeyouaremyspiritualmentuardian.IhavereceivedmorefromyouthananythingIeverdoiurn.Fromnowon,pleasedon’tstandonceremonywithme,ok?”

    “Sure”repliedDimitrinodding.“Iwon’tsayitagain.ButIreallyhaven’tdohingforyouexcepttellyousomestories.Bytheway,wherewereweuptoiory?I’mafraidIhavefotten.”

    “YouweretellingmeaboutKingDimitri’sexganddecisivebattleintheskieswiththesungodApollo...”

    “Ohyes,that’sright...Whydon’tIgoonwiththestoryandfinishthewholenarrativeafterwehavedoing.Actually,thereissomuchtotelboutthethingsthathappenintheKingdomthatit’shardtocovereverything.Ahemcouldbeincorporatedintoyourwriting...”

    “Ohno,no.That’snotnecessary.YouhavealreadytoldmealotabouttheKingdomofDreamsaimetoabsorbanddigestthesteadofswallowingitwhole,itwouldbemoremeaningfulifIhadtimetoponderoverthembeforetinuing.Todootherwisewouldnotbedoingfulljusticetothisfasatingandwonderfulstory.”

    1

    “Good”saidDimitri.“Thenwewillmeetagaihesedaysandtihthestory.”Hewasfeeliremelysatisfiedafteramealofgreatfoodandwine.Hehurriedlyedhispteoffthestcrumbsofdinneranddrankupthecoffeethatremainedinhiscup.Pattinghisstomagratificationhesaid,“Howwonderfullifeis...!Itiste.Ihadbetterleaveandyouorest.”

    “It’soteatnightandyouotsee.Won’tthatbetoodangerousforyou?Wherewillyougo?”

    “Lookhowwonderfultheweatheristonight,herhotnorcold.Thesparklingstarsctheskiesarewaitingforme.Onsuightandinsuchbeautifulweatheritwouldbeawastetostayindoors.Iwouldnotfeelfortabledoingso.”

    “Alright,ifthatiswhatyouwant”repliedCharinahelplessly.Dimitriidhishandonhershouldersaherguidehimdoweps.“Thisusedtobemygarage”shetinued,“butIhavemadeitintoMaureen’spyroom.”

    “Really?That’sagreatuseofspace.”InaerofthegaragewasMaureen’sdoghousewithasoileddogdiaper,whichCharinahadfottentodisposeof,strewnbesideitandrgeandsmallballswerescat

knewwhathewantedandsaid,“Alright,alright,I’lddsomemilkinit.”Sayingso,shewenttothekit,gotsomemilkandaddedittohisbowl.Maureenwassatisfiedthenaoeathappily.

    CharinalookedatDimitristillsleepingsoundlyonthesofaandthought,“Whydon’tImakeaninerforthispoormanbeleagueredbyfate,thishomelesspersonwhoisatthesametimenobleasapoet?”Charinapeeledanddiassortmentoffruitsandmadeabowloffruitsad.Sheheatedovermediumheatsomeofthecmchowdershehadmadethatmandputsomebreadintheoven.Theookasteakfromtherefrigeratatheredupasmallbottleofgasandafryingpanaoutintothebackyardtocookit.Sheworkedsilently,herthoughtsstillonDimitri’smagicalstory.Shedidnotturnonthelightafraiditwoulddispersethetranquility.NoohatDimitrimadeuseofthisshortnaptogobacktohisKingdomofDreamsandcarriedoutearth-shakiions.

    CharinaandDimitrisatattwoendsofthebeautifullyspreaddiningtablewithdlesburningbrightlyintheirsilverholders.Dimitriatewithgusto,appreciativelyexpressinghisheartfeltthanks.Asahomelesspersonhesidereditluckytobeabletofillhisstomach.Itwasinceivabletohavehisbeautifulhostessgotothetroubleofcookingasumptuousfeastjustforhim.Charinadidmudjustnibbledoucesadandafewsliokedmeat.

    “Don’tsaysuchthings”shesaid,interruptinghiseffusivethanks.“Tomeyouaremyspiritualmentuardian.IhavereceivedmorefromyouthananythingIeverdoiurn.Fromnowon,pleasedon’tstandonceremonywithme,ok?”

    “Sure”repliedDimitrinodding.“Iwon’tsayitagain.ButIreallyhaven’tdohingforyouexcepttellyousomestories.Bytheway,wherewereweuptoiory?I’mafraidIhavefotten.”

    “YouweretellingmeaboutKingDimitri’sexganddecisivebattleintheskieswiththesungodApollo...”

    “Ohyes,that’sright...Whydon’tIgoonwiththestoryandfinishthewholenarrativeafterwehavedoing.Actually,thereissomuchtotelboutthethingsthathappenintheKingdomthatit’shardtocovereverything.Ahemcouldbeincorporatedintoyourwriting...”

    “Ohno,no.That’snotnecessary.YouhavealreadytoldmealotabouttheKingdomofDreamsaimetoabsorbanddigestthesteadofswallowingitwhole,itwouldbemoremeaningfulifIhadtimetoponderoverthembeforetinuing.Todootherwisewouldnotbedoingfulljusticetothisfasatingandwonderfulstory.”

    1

    “Good”saidDimitri.“Thenwewillmeetagaihesedaysandtihthestory.”Hewasfeeliremelysatisfiedafteramealofgreatfoodandwine.Hehurriedlyedhispteoffthestcrumbsofdinneranddrankupthecoffeethatremainedinhiscup.Pattinghisstomagratificationhesaid,“Howwonderfullifeis...!Itiste.Ihadbetterleaveandyouorest.”

    “It’soteatnightandyouotsee.Won’tthatbetoodangerousforyou?Wherewillyougo?”

    “Lookhowwonderfultheweatheristonight,herhotnorcold.Thesparklingstarsctheskiesarewaitingforme.Onsuightandinsuchbeautifulweatheritwouldbeawastetostayindoors.Iwouldnotfeelfortabledoingso.”

    “Alright,ifthatiswhatyouwant”repliedCharinahelplessly.Dimitriidhishandonhershouldersaherguidehimdoweps.“Thisusedtobemygarage”shetinued,“butIhavemadeitintoMaureen’spyroom.”

    “Really?That’sagreatuseofspace.”InaerofthegaragewasMaureen’sdoghousewithasoileddogdiaper,whichCharinahadfottentodisposeof,strewnbesideitandrgeandsmallballswerescat