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Show 190 aesthetes who didn't understand the body's processes the biologist had an edge. Lorin was relieved too, because now she would not have to get up and go away. He had, of course, started the sequence over again, replacing the faceless oaf with himself and changing her cold stare to a wicked, prankish smile. "Do you have ulcers?" she asked. "Probably." "Then you're wise not to drink it." "I drink it all the time," he said. "Well that's silly. Don't you know what alcohol does to ulcers? Ulcers are open sores." She explained ulcers to him, giving him graphic details of the effects of irritants on raw mucous membranes. She reminded him what happened to snails, who were all mucous membranes. Sprinkle salt on a snail and he retreated into his shell, frothing in agony. Sprinkle more and he boiled dry. Could Lorin imagine something like that happening inside his stomach? He could, but fortunately Yvonne had just come up and was standing in front of him. He saw silver buckles on two black shoes that had materialized inches away from his crossed shin bones. One shoe pointed directly at him. The other, its heel positioned at the arch of the first, pointed to the corner of his cushion. It was a graceful position, and probably had a number. It was not fifth. He knew what fifth looked like. He looked up and she was smiling, though the corners of her mouth twitched a little. "I keep just missing you," she said. She nodded once to Gloriana, who nodded back. "But do you notice how I'm still here?" he said. He had been conscious while sitting there of Yvonne having a good time |