Free Crossword by Alan Bricklin Page A

where to look."
    "How do you go about looking for relations like
that?"
    "That, my friend, is where I come in."
    Julian walked thru the doorway of the gate and turned right,
choosing a path that led thru an area thick with bushes, assorted flowers and
scattered trees. Kent hurried to catch up, his perception of him suddenly
different, and his thoughts still churning as he matched his own pace with
Julian's.
    "So, what are things like on the home front, Kent?
How's the little woman holding up, what with her man overseas?"
    The question seemed like such a non sequitur that Mallory
didn't answer at first, not sure if this was also some kind of training
exercise.
    Julian used the pause to interject, "Are they that bad?
What's going on?"
    "Helen is having a bad time of it and I suppose it's
mostly my fault." Before he knew it, Kent was telling him things he had
intended to keep to himself, things that one could tell an old high school
buddy, a close friend or perhaps a stranger met on a train, someone you didn't
know and who, you expected, would pass briefly into and out of your life, never
to be seen again.
    "I'm sorry to hear that, but I can't imagine it would
be due to something you did, not a guy like you. You know, I've always thought
a lot of you. Sure, you're a bit inexperienced in this field, but shit, most of
the people in it are; and I think you'll be a quick learner. That's why I asked
Dulles to partner you with me." Julian smiled, then nodded his head as a
look of mild disbelief crossed Kent's face. "Yep, I asked the old man for
you; and don't look so surprised, you underestimate yourself. So, how's Helen
having a bad time?"
    "Oh, it's money. It always seems to come down to that.
Her parents live in Virginia, that's where she grew up. In a style that I can't
afford to give her; not on a government employee's salary."
    Once started, the words kept coming and it felt good to
finally have someone to talk to, having been away from home and the States for
almost eight months now. However, as he spoke, a part of his brain was
whispering to him. He made me talk. I wasn't going to tell him. As a matter
of fact, I don't think this was even on my mind. How did he manipulate me?
Jeez, Julian's good.
    "Yeah, it's a bitch. It seems that just a bit more in
the way of cash would solve a lot of problems for a lot of people."
    "Well, if I don't have the cash to give her the life
she wants, then it looks like ten acres in Virginia, even if it's with her
parents, trumps the run down apartment we have in D.C. She just can't envision
the life and work that I see for myself. Helen wants to shop at the best
stores, buy the nicest jewelry, belong to a country club and, of course, should
we have kids, they would have to attend the best schools. When we met and she
heard that I worked for State, visions of diplomatic parties and the Washington
social circle danced in her head along with pictures of all the wealthy
ambassadors she had heard of. I suppose I didn't do anything to discourage
that, certainly not at first; she was really a looker and I figured I needed
all the help I could get. Later on, when we were engaged and I tried to tell
her that it might take many years to work myself up through the State
Department, she was just too enamored with this fantasy she had in her mind to
hear what I was saying. Her reply was always, 'It won't take them long to
realize how good you are and to move you to a position of importance.' Hell,
one afternoon when we were downtown doing some shopping she wondered what kind
of dress would be appropriate for when she met the president. Do you believe
that? She actually believed she'd be at some dinner party with the president.
    "But you know what the really crazy thing is, the 'this
takes the cake' final boffo finish. I love her and can't get her out of my mind
in spite of the fact that being with her is going to take more money than I'll
probably ever earn with the State Department. I really like working for