RATZINGER

"Oh my!" Ratzinger exclaimed, elated. "A thousand? Thank you very much. This is a lot."

"You've done a lot today," she smiled. "Enjoy yourself with the rest. We'll meet again when?"

"Tomorrow," he replied quickly.

"No," she shook her head. "I'll be busy tomorrow."

"Next tomorrow then," he suggested. She laughed sensing the urgency in his voice.

"I'm not running away darling," she said. "I'll call you when it's convenient enough for me."

Ratzinger agreed reluctantly and watched as she walked out, leaving him behind. He smiled and hit his palm on his head hardly able to believe his luck. That week, he didn't sleep. He was up at night all day expecting a call from the beautiful Marcela but none came through. It was two weeks after that she called him again and even then, it wasn't for a date at the bar.

"Pukki," she had said through the phone. He recognized her voice immediately.