>"Oh my, yes!"  the Professor says with a chuckle, "I was his adviser at
>college, um..."
>
>As the pauses to think, Jac breaks in smiling, "A few years ago, but
>I've picked Professor Scott's brain as part of my job at the Ministry.
>He holds the Seau Chair of Economics, you see."

Mira chuckles softly. Men weren't usually the ones sensitive about their age.

>"And young Lord Ja'Carter *should* be a full professor by now himself."
>Professor Scott says, "If he would have settled down to his studies
>instead of continually getting involved in...in, things."

"But getting involved in 'things' is fun!" Mira says cheerfully, "There is 
time for books later."

> > > After a short conversation, Jac and Mira take their seats at the
> > > table. They have a good view of the platform where the string
> > > quartet is just packing up their instruments and leaving the stage.
> > > A young woman with a guitar is waiting just off the stage for her
> > > turn.
> > >
> > > On the table Mira sees that the food is spread out "family style"
> > > where each diner can help themselves from the platters. There are
> > > several kinds of meat and vegetables on the platters. Baskets of
> > > rolls with tubs of butter are laid out between the platters of
> > > food. Large pitchers of beverage are on the tables as well.
> > >
> > > Jac leans over to Mira and says, "The white pitchers are filled
> > > with beer and the green ones are filled with tea. The clear ones
> > > are ice water."
> >
> >  "Thanks. I was going to ask."
> >
> >  If she has multiple glasses, she pours one from the white pitcher and
> >  one from the clear. If she only has one glass, she pours from only
> >  the white pitcher.
>
>There is a water glass and a larger mug next to your plate.
>
> >  She helps herself to more vegetables than meat, but still sampling
> >  each of the meats, and topping with a single roll that she guiltily
> >  slathers with a decadent amount of butter.
>
>The food is ample, probably not as good as the expensive restaurant you
>ate at at lunch, but the vegetables aren't overcooked, and the pieces of
>meat aren't greasy.
>
>Jac leans over and says with a slight frown, "I'm sorry there isn't any
>pasta on the table tonight. Carlissimo's pasta primi vera is very, very
>good. It's *one* of the reasons I like to drop in every so often."

Mira shrugs, "We'll just have to come again so you can show me. I like meat 
and vegetables," she winks, "And butter."

> >  "Did you say poetry, Jac?"
>
>"Um, um." Jac nods as he chews a piece of roll and nods toward the stage
>where the young woman is strumming her guitar and singing in a soft soprano.
>
>"The performers are all students, or other young folks...an eccletic
>group. You can get anything from string quartets to jazz bands with folk
>singers like this young lady and poets in between."
>
>He stops and turns toward the performer and listens for a few seconds.
>
>"I would have given you my heart.
>But you've torn it all apart...."

Mira tilts her head, listening, too.

>"That's the ballad of Rose Lucci, an old classic.", turning back to Mira
>he says, "She's not bad, but she's too soft."

Mira nods, agreeing.

>"When it comes to being lucky, it's bad,
>When it comes to me loving, it's worse..."
>
>"Well, she's not bad enough to be rolled, anyway." Jac says with a grin.

"Rolled?"

After he answers, "Is there some method to how they know who's up next? Is 
it pre-arranged?"

Mira