Half-way through Sunday dinner with the whole family at Gramma's house, Astray announces she's got to go. Her grandmother protests, and Astray just tells her that the pasta was great, the lemon chicken out of this world, and nobody makes better 'scarole than her but she's got something to take care of and gets her coat. As she's about to walk out the door, her neice grabs her arm

"Where you going?" the neice asks

"Out. I have something to take care of," Astray tells her.

"Something? What thing?" she presses further.

Impatiently, Astray shakes her arm to release it from her neice's grip. "You know, something...Just something" she says shortly, without going into detail, and reaches for the doorknob.

Her neice doesn't let up. "But, what? What thing?" she whines as she follows Astray out the door and half way down the front steps. "What is this thing?"

Astray pauses, turns around and looks squarely into her neice's eyes. Through clenced teeth, she explains, speaking slowly and measuring her words carefully, "I am going to take care of something. What thing isn't your business. Something is as much as you need to know. Now quit pestering me and go back inside."

Her neice wouldn't be dissuaded, and crossed her arms over her chest defianly as she stared right back at Astray. "I'm not going back inside anywhere! You can't make me! I'm going to follow you whereever you go!"

Astray rolls her eyes and mutters "damn brat" under her breath then sits down on the steps. She pats the step next to her and sighs a heavy sigh. "Come 'ere, kid. Sit. I'm gonna tell you about what thing. And I want you to listen and listen hard 'cause I'm never gonna tell you again."

Her curiosity piqued, Astray's neice quiets down and sits down on the step as she was told. Astray starts to talk in a soft voice, "I said I was going to take care of something. You wanted to know what thing. I'm gonna tell you."

Astray pauses to think a minute then continues, "This thing, this thing I gotta take care of isn't what you think. Its nothing, really, and everything at the same time. But, if its anything, its a discipline. A way of life, and a way of doing business. Its a structure that regulates existance. Its about knowing when to make a move, and knowing when to keep perfectly still, so still that not even the hair on your head moves. Its about knowing the right time to speak your mind, knowing when to keep your mouth shut, and knowing when to nod your head, smile and say 'yes Sir.' If you haven't heard anything I've said, hear this: This thing, this thing you ask about, is all about discipline. Without discipline, nothing else matters."

Astray falls silent and looks at her neice. "Now, go inside. And tell Gramma I'll come by in a few days." Astray gets up, goes on her way down the street.