I stayed home to write a few columns on Friday while Bette put in only a half day at her college. When she got home we packed our bags for a three day weekend. At exactly 4 p.m., Terry knocked on our door and we both broke into a grin of excitement. Bette walked into his open arms and gave him a warm, lingering hug. When it was my turn he asked me where that screenplay was that we had talked about years ago. He had not forgotten. I told him it was in mothballs which was the truth because it was in storage, where I put it when Bette and I moved in together. He suggested I send it to him but then the subject was dropped as soon as we saw not one, not two but three black limos parked in a row in front of our apartment complex.

Wow! What a kick! What a feeling of exhilaration! We were ready, willing and able to get rolling.

Terry gestured us toward the second limo, where five men were piling out with big smiles, then six got out of the third one.

We were surrounded by testosterone.

Terry introduced each of them by first-name-only as we shook some hands and nodded at others. They were all extremely handsome as well as tight-assed buff, plus they all seemed to have “enthusiasm” in common, chatting to us and amongst themselves, eager to get going on this adventure.

Terry quickly clarified that only six of us were skydiving. He had found another volunteer and the rest were his close friends who came along to watch. Terry pointed out the three whom we would be jumping with. They were Duane, Randy and Carlos.

There was a lot of kidding. One fellow joked, “We’re the ones who are going to hold the net when you land.”

“No, we’re the target!” said another. “We’re all going to wear yellow rain slickers so you can see us.”

“And I’m in charge of calling 911,” piped up a third.

“I‘ll be pouring the champagne,” said a fourth. “While you’re way up there, we’re the one’s who are gonna get high on the ground!”

They all laughed as they got back into their limos. Terry escorted us back to ours. When he opened the door we were shocked to see Bette’s sister Kit and friends, Alice, Shane, Helena and Jenny, yelling, “Surprise!”