both teams knows about this," Isaac said.
***
"Aren't you going to thank Richard for saving you?" asked Shelly.
      "I went up to him. He walked away before I could speak. He doesn't want to be thanked. I can take a hint," Isaac replied.
      "I don't understand him. He's changed," she said.
      "It's just the true Richard without the drinking to hide the monster he really is."
      Shelly exclaimed, "Richard, a monster? No, I don't buy that. It's got to be something else. I'm sure it is."
      Isaac asked, "Then what? At least he'll talk to you. Maybe you can find out what his problem is."
      "I don't know. To do that to Richard makes me feel wrong. I'd be spying on him. That can't be right."
      "It is if it helps him. I've already suggested to him that he seek professional help from a doctor. He won't follow up on that, I'm sure."
      "Maybe it's not that kind of a problem," Shelly said.
      "Maybe it's not. Until I find out differently, I still think it has to do with his drinking."
***
The bartender looked at Richard. "You're not looking any better. Still not getting enough sleep?"
      "I thought you said you forget what you hear."
      "I do. That is, as far as other people are concerned, I wouldn't know what you said. However, I wouldn't be much of a conversationalist if I didn't remember what my customers wanted to talk about, now would I?"
      "I guess not. Well, as long as you keep it to yourself, I won't get upset."
      The bartender handed Richard a glass of juice. "This one's on the house."
      "Mighty big of you," Richard replied.
      "It costs the same as liquor to bring it to the station."
      "Sorry then. That was a cheap shot I took. I guess it's the stress and lack of sleep."
      "Stress? You've got stress? Let me tell you about stress."
      "Don't. We're not talking about the same kinds of stress. Mine concerns life and death."
      "Yeah, you're right about that. There's no comparison between the kinds of stress we each face. Yours is worse. I'm amazed that you can bear up under it. I've seen men fold before under less strain than you're holding up against. I'm envious of you."
      "You don't want to be. Trust me. It's no picnic. Everyday, wondering what you're going to face when you leave the station on your next emergency call. Knowing that you're really on your own in an ocean of cold, heartless space. One tiny mistake and it's all over. If not for you, then for someone you know, perhaps even love."
      "Are you in love with someone, Richard?"
      "Did I say that?" asked Richard.
      "No, but you hinted at it. That just made me curious, so I thought I'd ask. Since you didn't do anything bad to be concerned about, I've had a suspicion that you might be having woman trouble. Doesn't she know that you're alive?"
      "I'm not sure. I tried asking her out before, but she refused any dates. I asked her why."
      "What'd she say?"
      "She didn't like going out with a drunk. Well, not a drunk, but she didn't want to go out drinking. She said she might be interested if I was sober."
      "Ah, so that's why you quit drinking. I lose more customers for that reason than you'd ever suspect."
      "She's still not interested in me," Richard stated.
      "Have you asked her out since you quit drinking?"
      "Well, uh, uh . . . You know something? I don't think I have."
      "Then
***
"Aren't you going to thank Richard for saving you?" asked Shelly.
      "I went up to him. He walked away before I could speak. He doesn't want to be thanked. I can take a hint," Isaac replied.
      "I don't understand him. He's changed," she said.
      "It's just the true Richard without the drinking to hide the monster he really is."
      Shelly exclaimed, "Richard, a monster? No, I don't buy that. It's got to be something else. I'm sure it is."
      Isaac asked, "Then what? At least he'll talk to you. Maybe you can find out what his problem is."
      "I don't know. To do that to Richard makes me feel wrong. I'd be spying on him. That can't be right."
      "It is if it helps him. I've already suggested to him that he seek professional help from a doctor. He won't follow up on that, I'm sure."
      "Maybe it's not that kind of a problem," Shelly said.
      "Maybe it's not. Until I find out differently, I still think it has to do with his drinking."
***
The bartender looked at Richard. "You're not looking any better. Still not getting enough sleep?"
      "I thought you said you forget what you hear."
      "I do. That is, as far as other people are concerned, I wouldn't know what you said. However, I wouldn't be much of a conversationalist if I didn't remember what my customers wanted to talk about, now would I?"
      "I guess not. Well, as long as you keep it to yourself, I won't get upset."
      The bartender handed Richard a glass of juice. "This one's on the house."
      "Mighty big of you," Richard replied.
      "It costs the same as liquor to bring it to the station."
      "Sorry then. That was a cheap shot I took. I guess it's the stress and lack of sleep."
      "Stress? You've got stress? Let me tell you about stress."
      "Don't. We're not talking about the same kinds of stress. Mine concerns life and death."
      "Yeah, you're right about that. There's no comparison between the kinds of stress we each face. Yours is worse. I'm amazed that you can bear up under it. I've seen men fold before under less strain than you're holding up against. I'm envious of you."
      "You don't want to be. Trust me. It's no picnic. Everyday, wondering what you're going to face when you leave the station on your next emergency call. Knowing that you're really on your own in an ocean of cold, heartless space. One tiny mistake and it's all over. If not for you, then for someone you know, perhaps even love."
      "Are you in love with someone, Richard?"
      "Did I say that?" asked Richard.
      "No, but you hinted at it. That just made me curious, so I thought I'd ask. Since you didn't do anything bad to be concerned about, I've had a suspicion that you might be having woman trouble. Doesn't she know that you're alive?"
      "I'm not sure. I tried asking her out before, but she refused any dates. I asked her why."
      "What'd she say?"
      "She didn't like going out with a drunk. Well, not a drunk, but she didn't want to go out drinking. She said she might be interested if I was sober."
      "Ah, so that's why you quit drinking. I lose more customers for that reason than you'd ever suspect."
      "She's still not interested in me," Richard stated.
      "Have you asked her out since you quit drinking?"
      "Well, uh, uh . . . You know something? I don't think I have."
      "Then
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