It doesn't look as if we're going to get much of a group tonight... it's already 5 minutes to 8 and there's only a hand full of people in the auditorium. Alice always made a big deal out of attendance. She thought it was a kind of indication of how well their message was bring received.
I know you think that attendance is important Alice, but I don't look at it that way. If we can perk the interest of at least one person at each lecture, we are doing well. Have you ever heard the saying that each one of us is only 2 or 3 people away from knowing everyone in the world?... Alice shook her head... and began to say she hadn't heard that when Marie interrupted her...
Well, it's true! ... Basically it goes like this... I know two people who know two people, who know two people, and on and on, and you know two people who know two people...so, since I know you and you know me, if we follow it on down the line, we are two or three people away from knowing... through the people we know... everyone in the world.
It was Marie Burton's habit to be a quite condescending to those working around her. She felt that she was superior to most of those she worked with... she considered them her subordinates... to be treated as she wished, showering grace and wisdom on some, while leading others to their downfall.
Pay attention Alice, you might learn something about human nature... instead of just juggling numbers... this world turns on the nature of the species... Alice Compton had grown up in the city, and still owned a place on the north east side… these days she was mostly traveling with Marie and acting as her executive assistant… managing not only the scheduling but also the finances of Marie’s tours.
Marie turned abruptly and strutted across the wings to the stage manager. She wanted to question him about the sound system...
Alice though Marie was right... I do need to learn more about human nature... I guess I just don't see the whole thing like she does... It was times like these that Alice wasn't sure what she thought... Marie seemed to have that effect on most of the people she came in contact with... almost like she was controlling their thoughts... I wish I was as strong as Marie... Alice resolved herself to learning from her... she believed Marie could change the way people looked at violence... maybe Marie could change the world...
...
As Berry approached the two men, his rival, time, was pressing him again... we’re gonna be late... his mind was so focused on the lecture, it was almost too late that he noticed the driver was talking to Dave Lutz... I can’t let him see me... my friendship with Mike is personal... I like Dave and all, but all I need is the locals bugging me... besides, he’s a cop! He turned quickly, holding his hand up to his side to shield his face, and returned to the limo. As he slid back into the rear of the vehicle, he could see that the driver had been dismissed, and was also returning...
It seems that a coed committed suicide by jumping off the top of this building. The detective said that she had been seeing a counselor for depression, and was having problems in school. He doesn’t believe any foul play was involved. The driver filled them in on the details that Dave had given him, supplying some specifics Dave had spilled to him in his excitement.
You got a lot of information... Berry was somewhat suspicious. I’ve been working with these guys for several years, and I can’t seem to get more than the basics. How do you rate? Realizing that he had been found out, the drive explained what had transpired, and how Detective Lutz had demanded to know who was in the car.
Berry blurted out his thoughts. So he was STAR STRUCK!! Boy, if I had known that, I could have used it in the past to get more information for him ... Mike looked at Berry with one of those did I hear you right looks... just kidding Mike... Berry really valued his relationship with Mike... he WAS just kidding, and Mike knew it...
As it moved slowly away from the small crowd that had gathered, Dave watched the limo leave, wondering where they were going... now that would be the life... go where you want, when you want, no burdens... if only he knew... it seems that everyone, but the star, who REALLY knows how it is, believes the glamorous life would be GREAT! His thoughts were interrupted by one of the officers at the scene...
By this time the forensics tem had arrived and were checking for evidence and identification… Lieutenant, do you want to notify the next of kin?... what a stupid question... he was thinking of all the times he had watched others on the force do their duty... of course I don’t want to notify the next of kin... I would rather be fishing... but he realized the officer had not really asked him if he wanted to, he was just being polite... Yeah, I suppose I should contact them so they can make arrangement, do we know what her name was yet? Officers have talk to people who say they knew her. They called her Margie Sir. Her full name was Margerie Jordan...