From: "M. Cogburn" Date: Sat, 5 Dec 1998 13:50:45 -0600 Subject: Portraits Of The Past -- Epilogue Epilogue 1999 -- New Mexico They walked through the mall, not really shopping just glancing at the stores. Al had been walking quietly thinking about a couple of days ago. Verbeena had been complaining about needing someone when Sammy Jo went to help Gooshie and Tina with re-programming Ziggy on retrieving Sam. So, he had given her a call and an opportunity to help. There was only on ultimatum she had made -- she had to bring her husband along. Al had agreed. Today, however, they walked through the mall just for the exercise. It was a small break from their normal routine. "Oh, Al, look at this dress!" Al went up to the window and gazed lustfully as the blue low-cut, short-hemmed dress. His gaze drifted over her body then back to the dress. "Hmmm, yes, it would work. But Verbeena wouldn't want you to wear that to work. You're a professional physiologist now, Margaret." Margaret looked back at Al with her mouth open ready to protest but didn't. She knew he was right, Verbeena would have a hissy. They continued down a couple of more stores then she stopped him. "I've got it. I've figured out how Sam gets home." "How?" "I don't think that it's something we can do. It has to do with Sam." Al looked at her anxiously. "Well?" He prodded. "Well, he . . . he's self-sacrificing. I think that once Sam realizes that his needs are as important as those around him -- he'll come back. You can't force anyone to realize this. Don't you see Al? You helped me. You helped me to see that, no matter what everyone else saw, that I am beautiful on the inside as well as the outside." "I taught you that?" "Yes, don't you see? You took your time and energy to help me to see it. You took me on a shopping spree -- you." She emphasized you everytime she said it. "You took me to get my hair and makeover. You showed me by your actions that I was worth the effort. Once Sam realizes that his needs are worth others efforts -- he'll leap back home." "When we'll he come home?" He asked aloud -- not meaning to. Margaret shrugged. "I don't know Al -- but when he does, he'll have his friends to help show him how special and how important his needs are. He'll come home on his own time." As they started walking again, Al remembered a conversation he once had with Sam. Sam had said something to the effect that when he returned home, his first thought wouldn't be that he was finally home with friends and loved ones. When Al questioned him on that comment, all Sam could say was "I'll wonder what went wrong in my life that I've been sent to put right." Al silently walked behind Margaret as she looked at another window with outfits scattered in it. He just wondered when his friend would be home and when things could go back to normal. With a click of his tongue, he sighed and headed toward Margaret. The End