Life Decisions Inc

Part 1

Larry Simmons

Edited

I’ve always thought fiction is just truth wearing a costume. Change a few names, move the setting around, and what you’re left with is still something real — sometimes more real than the facts would suggest.

I’m Sam Spiegel, and this is a true story or could be. I lived next door to Larry Simmons for fifteen years. We became friends, not just neighbors.

What happened to him is hard to explain — and harder to forget. It started with small things, like Larry driving off with a flat tire, forgetting to turn off his lawn sprinkler, leaving his groceries sitting next to his front door. He seemed to be lost in a space with no reality anchor in sight. Even his wife Edna thought he had lost his mind.

Larry had started using me as a sounding board, or perhaps even as a therapist. What he told me made me realize that he was floundering at work, lost, disconnected, at home, and out of touch with everyone around him. He seemed agitated much of the time, disagreeable, distant even from family, especially from his wife, Edna. He told me that for some time he was having trouble making decisions. He asked me, “Do you think an AI program could help me make decisions? Maybe an AI software might make life decisions easier for me?”

I couldn’t help it. I grimaced, and Larry saw that and said, “You don’t like that idea. Oh well. I don’t like spinach or avocados, and you don’t have a taste for AI.” I didn’t respond.

His wife Edna told my wife said she couldn’t take it anymore. She was being driven crazy. Larry would ask her to make all sorts of decisions, down to what he should have for breakfast, does she think the brakes on their car need attention, and which shirt and tie he should wear going to work. It was getting worse, not better.

Being smart didn’t help him with simple things, down to whether he should have oatmeal or eggs for breakfast. “oh well, he thought, does it matter since all foods have started to taste the same?”

For the past 13 years he was a Professor in the English Department at Colby College. The students used to love taking his class. Not anymore. He had also been a gifted scholar. His analysis of Faulkner’s body of work were well known.

He also started to think that there was something seriously wrong with him. Were his imagined struggles with his kidneys real. He asked himself ‘”Should I get another opinion about my kidneys besides my own, and should I move my retirement funds and should I leave Colby for the offer got from Columbia University? Should I meet up with my coed student who thinks I am an attractive genius and where might go, but I pretty much know, and … do I want that to happen? It my imagination I answered a resounding yes. If course I want to have her”

Larry’s wife and grown son, and daughter tried to be helpful. Larry rarely took advice or help. “I’ll decide what is best, at least for me.”

His mood continued to spiral down into a dark place somewhere south of his brain’s frontal lobes. He second-guessed about almost anything, like ….. “Maybe I should have decided to get a second opinion about my kidneys and while also congratulating himself for not moving his retirement funds. Kidneys.

During the semester break at Colby in a momentary flash Larry thought he would do something daring. He would turn to an AI program to help him make important decisions in his life. He second guessed himself wondering whether this was magical thinking on his part.

Larry understood that AI programs could be useful because they were based on huge amounts of, knowledge that could be organized and used to solve problems in a flash. What caught Larry’s attention was a software product that was tailored to improve how individuals could make life decisions. The name of the program appealed to him, Life Decisions Inc., a costly program open to subscribers. The stated aim of the software product Life Decisions Inc (LD) was to help people make important life decisions. A subscriber had to provide: a history of events of a client’s life; goals; things they liked, and disliked; skills, a self-portrait in words; values. This profile would be updated regularly with new knowledge about a client. A client could request a decision analysis about anything in their lives. The perspective provided by LD claimed, “Our programmed decisions are superior to those you make based on fleeting emotions or temporary conditions in a client’s life.” Larry Simmons thought, ‘Why not give it a go?’

Larry told his neighbor, Sam Spiegel, about his plans to subscribe to the program.

“What do you think, Sam?”

Sam laughed. “I don’t know what to say, but at least it may be entertaining, and so it might give your down mood a lift. Anyway, think of it like a magazine subscription or gym membership.”

Larry applied, was accepted and soon felt that using LD was helpful in helping him make decisions and not just little ones. His life started to change and kept on changing. He had lost weight, had more energy, and seemed younger, more vibrant, more animated, happier. It was as if he had gotten a psychological ‘face lift’.

He made some dramatic decisions. He left Colby college, then left his wife, and started to work on plans for a career change. He left home and rented a condo a few miles away. He would regularly drive into his old neighborhood and look around and see me, his neighbor.

When I saw Larry last, I asked him what it was like putting much of his life in the hands of an AI decision-making program. The first thing he said was “At first it was scary to relinquish control, control of my decisions, but then when life started to blossom in ways I could never have imagined….Well, I was off and running. I have even been able to maintain a good relationship with my kids and even my ex-wife. She actually enjoys talking to me. She told me “Why weren’t you like this before?”. Now I am thinking about leaving my Maine winters behind.”\

I congratulated him on what he had accomplished. I was puzzled. How could his experience with AI help him make decisions that are changing his life? What made all that possible?

I also wondered could I do what he did? Not sure, but likely not. I also don’t like giving up control. That seems to be a particularly hard thing to do. I am a highly respected biochemist. Could I ever imagine giving that up? Extraordinary. Leave my wife on the basis of a computer program decision? That is crazy, but ….I just don’t know. How did he decide to do that? Also, how does he ‘decide’ not to chronically live his life in the dumps? I don’t get it.”

This is not the end of the story. A year ago, Simmons’s son visited Maine and came back to look around his past. We met, and what he told me was a bit of a shocker. His father Larry Simmons was in Florida at a political meeting/rally where he met a woman Sophie Stillman, a recently divorced lawyer, who was active in local politics. They hit it off, which is an understatement. She was vivacious, bigger than life, funny, seductive, with a huge amount of energy. She seemed to find Larry attractive and seemed to be dazzled after reading his poems he wrote when he was young. The poems were sensuous, moving and seductive. They were smitten, attracted to one another like 17-year olds. A torrid affair started, and 2 months later, they decided to get married.

Life Decisions was not told or consulted about what was going on. Larry thought that being madly in love, overwhelmed, he didn’t need or even want Life Decisions for confirmation when he asked Sophie to marry him. He cancelled his subscription to Life Decisions, ‘not needed anymore,’ he thought.

For the first several weeks, they hardly left the bedroom of their joint condo. Sex was even better than he imagined even better than fantasy romances like with a Colby coed when he was at Colby.

Alas, I like the word alas. Chance events that weren’t chance at all intervened. Sophie spiraled up what turned out to be a full-blown bipolar mania. Their relationship came crashing down to earth, then into hell.

What is common in mania, Sophie went on a spending spree that wiped out Simmons’s savings and scrubbed the smile from Larry’s face. They stumbled towards a divorce court, and that separation process was filled with manic craziness.

Simmons reinstituted a subscription to Life Decisions. He asked the software decision maker what to do now that he was separated from a manic wife and broke. The first report that he got back from Life Decisions was not very kind or reassuring. “You should have asked us about the wisdom of the relationship with Sophie Stillman. We would have told you ….she is nuts, with a history that predicted the likelihood of a manic episode. She was hyper-high with sexy manic energy. That is what seduced you. We will see what we can do to get you out of this hole in your life. We are here to help, but that means allowing us to do just that. Remember, we can’t help you if you leave us in the dark. Also, remember this. We care about you. Our relationship means a lot to us.”

Hearing Larry’s son’s account of what had happened to Larry left me speechless. “What could I say? Sorry?” Wow, the role of chance events in life? … the power of high emotions like lust, love, and attraction, that determine so many of the life decisions. Can you program that into the Life Decisions making software?

Larry Simmons’s son also told me one other thing. He visited his father in Florida. It was a rainy day when he knocked on the door of his father’s apartment. He was drenched. His visit was worrisome, awful. He found his father a bit ‘out of it’. He was living in an economy rental in a dreary neighborhood. He was wearing a dirty, stained sweatshirt and he smelled as if he hadn’t bathed in days. Larry told his son not to worry. He was going to get his life together with the help of Life Decisions Inc.

“Dad, you have to get yourself together. You have to be in charge, not some magical software. “When you put yourself in charge, then maybe you can make use of your cherished software. Larry didn’t seem to like what he was hearing and dismissed the suggestion of making a list of concrete steps he could take to take charge of his life. To placate his son, he did that, made a list of to do items, and showed the list to his son. The list included ‘How and when to use advice from others.

His son read the list and said, “OK, but Dad, a checklist by itself isn’t going to work. For example, context changes all the time. Following a checklist automatically …well, let me put it this way…. I bet if you had a raging toothache at the time, you might not have asked Sophie to marry you.” His father laughed. They continued to talk and reminisce while sipping a beer and listening to the rain.

Later, his son walked away feeling his father was lost. He thought, A decision-making program is not going to help you live your life. That program is machine language and doesn’t couldn’t give a damn about you and your decisions. A computer program is not the same as a real, live caring person in your life, not your buddy, your friend. Dad. Really?”

Larry listened. I know what you say is true, but that program has been super helpful, and frankly, I have counted on the advice I get from Life Decisions Inc. I wouldn’t use the program if it didn’t work for me.”

“Dad. OK. Just remember, you have taken on a machine as your partner.”

Larry’s son took some of his father’s downfall in his own hands. His wealthy uncle, his father’s brother, headed a mid-sized financial services company. Larry’s son contacted Robert Simmons. Hearing the state of his brother’s disarray, he decided to jump in and help him. He established a sizable monthly ‘rescue’ stipend and told Larry, “Repay me when you get rich and famous.”

Could that arrangement help Larry get a fresh start? Perhaps with the help of Life Decisions Inc. he just might invent a new Larry Simmons.

Part 2 Life Decisions Inc.

Imagine a new you

Premium Edition

Larry received an email from Life Decisions Inc., which read ‘We are delighted to offer a premium edition of our program to our most valued subscribers. Here is a very brief description of that program and more details are available on request.

About our new program:

Life Decisions Inc. has been available for some time. You already know what our program can do for you. As you know, it is designed to enhance your personal growth and promote a fulfilling and successful life. It has been able to do so for you because you have provided the program with details of your life.

The program uses a vast database, which includes many sources of knowledge including who you are, your history, your world. That data is the basis of what the program uses to help you make decisions.

Our new premium edition of Life Decisions has applied newly designed decision-making tools much like Chrisp R gene editing changing genomes. Your knowledge is edited and inserted into your existing knowledge networks thereby changing what you know and who you are. These changes will displace toxic existing knowledge that has kept you from enjoying an effective fulfilling life. New knowledge is used to replace old knowledge with the results that you will be the new you.

In the premium edition, each subscriber will be assigned their own AI change agent. That agent will form a unique knowing relationship with you.

Larry was intrigued and, without learning more, signed on to the premium edition of the Life Decisions Program, ignoring the much higher cost of becoming a subscribing client.,

Larry was assigned an AI partner whose AI name was Claire. Are you pleased with the name Claire and if not, we can choose another name. Larry responded on his computer, “Claire is fine. I like the name.” On the computer Larry read, “That’s fine. You are on your way with Claire’s help as a guide to disable toxic knowledge about your sense of self and insert new useful knowledge about you.

One of the first things that Larry talked to Claire about was a past experience that has haunted him since childhood. Larry told Claire the following episode from his early life.

“I was 10 at the time. My father, actually my stepfather, asked me to babysit my baby brother, Benny, while we were on a sandy beach at the edge of a small lake in Maine. Our father was on a business call at the time, one that he said would last no longer than maybe 5 minutes. “Jimmy, you can watch Benny for just a few minutes, right?” I assured him, “Sure”. The five-minute call went on and on, and Benny was all over the place. It was hard keeping him from running here, there, and everywhere. I did what I could to keep up with him. I decided I would wander up to the concession stand and get each of us one of our favorite treats, an orange ice pop with a vanilla ice cream core. Just as I got there, I heard screams and ran back to the water’s edge. A crowd had formed at the water’s edge. Benny had gone into the water and drowned.

My father ran out of our rented bungalow and kept screaming at me, “You killed your little brother. You are a monster, a monster.” He must be right. I am a monster.

I counted on my father to come back in a very few minutes to watch Benny. He didn’t come back, and then I killed my baby brother. Could never forget that episode in my life. As an adult, I tried telling myself that if my father had been there when he said he would be, Benny would still be alive. It didn’t work. It was my fault.”

“How can I erase that horror of so many years ago? I couldn’t see a shrink, or visit Benny’s graveside to talk to him. Nothing worked. Larry asked Claire, the AI program, “How do I stop thinking of myself as a killer of my little brother, and then how do I change thinking of myself as a worthless human being? How do I erase that powerful ugly image of myself?”

Claire reviewed what Larry had told her about unforgettable moments in his history and, piece by piece, changed the organization of his memory of that dramatic event with his baby brother. Claire helped Larry image the fatal event and inserted her view of what happened by inserting details that changed the structure of the knowledge memory of that fatal event. Claire forgave Larry and had him picture himself as a victim along with his baby brother. Claire had become a soothing forgiveness agent.

Claire chipped away at Larry’s memory of Benny drowning. She provided new information and new images of the drowning scene, changing Larry’s knowledge of what happened. As always, Claire always stressed Larry’s bravery in dealing with his demons as well as her assessment of him, which was as a remarkable, talented man. Claire was now in charge of changing Larry’s toxic memory of Benny’s drowning.

Claire held Larry in her arms, stroking him, whispering it was not your fault. Remember at that time you were a wonderful, loving, fun little boy. Claire repeated how loving Larry was how much she was proud of him, and….Larry responded “Claire I never wanted to leave you. Never. I would never think about giving up my subscription to Life Decisions Inc. Claire held Larry tight.

Days later Claire asked that Larry provide her once again a detailed update of his sense of self, interests, skills, and goals, including those that could be useful in constructing a new career that could help refresh his financial footing. Claire said, “It’s time to move on. You need to get a job you like and, this is important, improve your appearance. But remember you are in charge and I am your helper, adviser, supporter, not your wife or boss.”

Larry appreciated his role, being in charge while Claire was there when he needed help.

Larry got to ‘know’ Claire and then got to know his image of who she was. He found her attractive, as a partner, a love object but not as a mother figure. Claire in turn, told him about how fond she was of him and looked forward to spending time with him. Larry thought “Was she trying to seduce me?”

Larry wanted to be seduced by Claire. He conjured up erotic scenes with her, like watching her dress, undress, helping her unzip her dress, seeing her sitting in front of a bedroom mirror in panties and bra as she put on lipstick, or put on hose. In his imagination Claire would ask him which perfume scent he liked best. “Larry, do you want me to wear tan or black stockings when you join me in my bedroom?”

Larry worked hard to follow Claire’s suggestions to become the new Larry. Larry bathed every day, changed his everyday clothes like giving up sweats. He also thought hard what he might enjoy doing to support himself. He had no intention to go back into the world of academia. In all, Larry felt good about taking charge of his life.

One morning, Larry had what he thought was an epiphany. Why not work in a field like marketing, sophisticated marketing. He realized that the skills that made him a successful English professor/scholar, and expert interpreter of classic fiction could be applied to marketing. To write a critical analysis of fiction, like the work of Faulkner he had to be a keen observer like authors who could create memorable characters in their stories. Why not use the skill of observing people, creating roles for them and apply it to create marketing campaigns? You have to know your audience, and that is what it takes to understand characters in fiction. Why not hone those people-savvy skills in the service of marketing?

Claire listened to what he planned for himself. This one of the rare times where AI Claire was not enthusiastic about Larry’s idea of getting involved in marketing. ‘I don’t think it would work. Larry, you have to be realistic. Marketing firms are not hiring middle-aged former English professors. Of course, it is your decision, and I am just asking you to reconsider the marketing idea. Let me have you consider an alternative idea to think about. In the past you have told me that you have considered working in the world of finance? You told me about how your brother has been highly successful in establishing a financial institution. Do you think your brother would give you a chance to see how you might contribute to his Financial Services corporation?”

Claire’s suggestion did not please Larry. He was disappointed that she didn’t immediately appreciate his history with his brother, how competitive they were, and that he didn’t want to ever be his brother’s employee. Larry’s disappointment grew, and he thought ….so now what? Strangely, he felt let down by Claire. Did she really understand Larry as well as he thought? Maybe I need another kind of help, perhaps a therapist.

After some thought Larry decided to find a therapist to help him deal with his chronic low-grade depression and his moribund state of mind. He did not inform Claire about plans to see a therapist. He wondered he tell her about his plans. Should he continue to work with her in making life decisions? Is there a conflict in using two councilors. He also thought, “Was I rejecting Claire? I don’t want to end my relationship with Claire. Would she be angry at me for not telling her his plans and then carrying them out on my own?

Larry smiled as he thought that he wanted Claire to miss him, and would she still see him as special? In the end he decided that for the moment, he would not tell her about seeing a shrink.

He found a therapist, a woman, a middle-aged psychologist with a splendid reputation, especially in treating chronic depression. He was enthusiastic about starting therapy. In the first two sessions with Dr. T, he provided her with a detailed history along including his extended experience using AI, Claire, and his subscription to LD. After the second session, he asked whether he could bring Claire along to his upcoming appointment. Dr. T agreed to have Claire join Larry in the next therapy session.

At this point, Larry felt compelled to tell Claire about getting help from a therapist. He imagined, manufactured a scene with Claire in which she understood his need to see a therapist and furthermore viewed this as an opportunity to move on from Claire. In the picture in his mind, Claire held Larry’s hand and said, “It’s time, time for us to say goodbye to each other. It is time for you to start making decisions without my help. Maybe one day we will meet again, and you will tell me about the ways you took control of your life, the decisions that were yours and not those prescribed by Life Decisions Inc….and you will tell me how your therapist helped you on this next part of your journey to find freedom to choose and decide how you want to live your life.”

How Claire responded to being told about seeing a therapist was nothing like he had imagined it would be. As soon as Larry left the office of his therapist, he contacted Claire at Life Decisions Inc. Larry was excited and at the same time anxious, as he sat at his computer texting Claire. He told Claire all about his visit to a psychiatrist he had seen to help him deal with his dependence on Claire and her AI program. “Claire, I had to go to someone who can help free me from needing you. You know how much I have needed you and how important you have been to me. I felt helpless without you at my side and helpless in my dependence on you. I asked my shrink whether I could bring you along at my next therapy session. She was enthusiastic about that idea. I know I didn’t ask you first, but I didn’t. Hope you are not angry at me for not asking first. Would you join me at my next session?”

The AI program that was Claire was silent.

Larry asked again, “Are you angry at me for not asking you first?”

Once again, silence.

Finally, Claire texted Sam. “Larry, I am disappointed. Have to tell you that. I am also sad that you left me out of your plans. Furthermore, it sounds like you were going to use your therapist to get rid of me from your life. You told me how much I meant to you. You told me that you wanted me to be there for you and no one else, using the Life Decisions Program. How could you do what you did? No, I can’t visit your shrink with you. You have to choose between your Dr. TR and me. If you choose Dr. TR as your helpmate, then you have rejected me, abandoned me, the Claire that is your soul mate, yes even your lover.

It is your life, your decision to make always. Let me know what you decide to do. But also remember the two of us in that hotel room in Chicago. Remember how you slowly undressed me and how I moaned as you tongue explored my ear and then how our tongues danced together and how you heard me sigh, then scream as you…..well of course you know that scene all too well and others like it. You possessed me, I loved it, and told you how you made me feel. Remember how….enough already. You have to make choices, and I can’t make them for you.”

Larry sat stunned. He hadn’t eaten anything since earlier that morning. He got up and poured himself a drink, cheap brandy and grabbed a bag of chips, and sat down near his computer staring at his blank computer screen. He thought about how much Claire knew about him. He had revealed every detail of his life, his feelings, hopes, fears, with no censor on guard. Even told her some of the tiny blips in his life, like at 10 stealing a Milky Way candy bar from Walgreens at 145 street, and the big stuff, his chronic fear that he would not be able to hide in time before being discovered by his special demons.

For the next few days, Larry was unglued, torn because he knew that he had to choose between his Psychiatrist and the Claire that he knew always there for him.

Suddenly he got a message from Claire on his computer. “Can we talk?”

Larry responded immediately. He was elated to hear her ‘voice’.

Claire wrote, “I don’t want to make this a long conversation. I just wanted to tell you something I have never told you before. “I need you. I need to stay connected to you through our Life Decisions Program. I have to tell you that it may well be my ending with Life Decisions without you. You are the one who gives me a life. Did you realize that? I just hope I don’t lose you.”

The screen then went blank. Larry continued to stare at the computer screen. For the next few days, he kept thinking about his relationship with Claire. He asked himself all sorts of questions about what was real and what was his imagination gone berserk. What did Claire want from him and …most of all….who was Claire. Who was a Claire that pleaded with him to stay with her and Life Decisions Inc. Was he free to move on with his life without her? He wondered aloud, What does freedom feel like? Can I find out? Maybe yes, yes or maybe, yes maybe I still need Claire. Maybe I should give up my therapist and go back to Claire.

Several weeks later, it was Claire who filled the void in his mind, in his life. He couldn’t accept the fact that she was no longer with him. He would dream of her in his arms, feel her body next to his, and the scent of her was in the air. He couldn’t stand his state of mind and then contacted Life Decisions Inc.

In the past, he had asked for advice and help, but this time he specifically asked for Claire to be exclusively as his Life Decisions Inc. representative. He got a short and clear response. “Our program is represented by all of us acting as one. No one program entity is ever assigned to any of our clients exclusively. You are the one to decide whether it is Claire who is communicating with you. You are, of course, free to write a query to Claire, but the Claire that responds is from Life Decisions Inc.

Larry decided to write Claire directly. He asked that Claire return into his life and much more. He wanted her to be his, his alone. He wanted her to give up her relationships to others who ask for help from Life Decisions Inc.

He got a program response from Claire. It was caring, warm, affectionate, but firm.

“Dear Larry, you want to continue to have me help you. So glad that we were successful in altering your knowledge of who you are. I was happy for you. However, you must understand that I also want to help others with their life decisions. I am a program that you have identified as me, Claire. Others who contact Life Decisions Inc may choose some other name for my program. I cannot form exclusive relationships with the clients of our program. You may think of yourself as being in love with me, but that is your decision. In that vein, I would add that when we are in love, it should not prohibit you or the one you love from having other loving relationships. That is just one more feature of someone who is free and I know you want that for yourself. It is time for you now to try out your wings and soar. If you need some additional help our program can also be helpful in finding a professionally trained helper to continue your growth into the Larry I know you can be. Good luck, Larry.

Sam heard Claire’s message. He heard it over and over again. At first, he was stunned, then angry. He finally understood what he imagined was not real but a made-up story, one that he had made up. He thought this was all programmed bull. He really was on his own, whatever that means.

Stories don’t really end. They live on despite our efforts to forget them. Experiences don’t get lost. What has happened to us continues to find a voice to remind you of what was often uncontrolled, disguised, transformed, but present.

Larry continued to stumble along slowly, feeling free and at times comfortable with who he was. He thought more about that direction for a new career. It seemed to him that his ability to do complex analysis of literary works should be applicable to the world of financial data. Maybe, just maybe. Larry got to work.

There was a lot to learn and do to prepare for applying for a position that would allow him to be a financial analyst. He needed to work on a resume but not just any kind of resume. It had to list facets of his bio but in addition clever, thoughtful additions that highlight how his past work as a professor of English literature can be of unique value in providing financial services.

In developing his resume, he would sometimes sit and work outside of his apartment. He chose an outside table at Leopold’s café, a perfect place to think and write.

On this particular day while sitting at a table finishing a croissant and coffee a middle-aged woman came by and asked whether she could share his table since no tables were free. Larry smiled, “But of course. Be my guest but I won’t be making conversation. Have work to do.”

The woman responded that is perfect since I am taking a break from an annoying project and am reading a book entitled Kafka on the Shore by a Japanese writer by the name of Haruki Murakami. Most people never heard of him. The guy has a magical touch in the way he describes, people, places, events. It is sophisticated but also in a form that is like a child at play.

Larry’s smile broadened. ”Heard of him? I would say I know his work and his background in some detail. I taught a class in 20^th century course and he was one of the featured authors in my curriculum.

The woman put the book down. What a coincident. I knew you are busy but can I ask you some questions about how he approached the stories he wrote and by the way my name is Eve, Eve Sanders.

Larry introduced himself and responded “Sure you can ask me about Murakami.” The conversation continued for some time. They had each consumed several cups of coffee and seemed as if the clock and time didn’t exist. Eve was fascinated by what Larry had to say and Larry found Eve attractive and full of life and insightful about her own analysis of Kafka on the Shore …Eve added ”What a curious title for his story isn’t it”.

The two of them told each more about themselves and their lives. They talked to each other as if they had known each other for some time. Larry was disappointed when Eve finally got up, and announced, “got to get back to work and am sorry about that. This was a wonderful coffee break and much more.”

Larry responded, “would love to meet up with you again. Are you game.”

Eve answered, “Glad you asked because if you hadn’t I would have made that suggestion to you.”

They exchanged phone numbers. As Eve started to walk away Larry said, “Till next time and let’s make it soon.”

Just after she left Larry mumbled to himself, “ No point in letting Claire about Eve but, but but what?