scrabbled Q He smiled. But she could not see the smile, because after leaning against his back to reach for the board and complete "complete," she had stood up, leaving her hands resting on his shoulders. She smiled too. But he could not see it. "Brilliant, beautiful," he said. "80 points. 30 from 'complete' across 'emode.' 50 from using all seven letters. You might win." "Your hands on my shoulders are very nice, but could you please move from behind me to the other side of the table?" he asked. "I want to see you, I want you to see me smiling at your move, I want to see you smile if you like my move." "Okay," she said "but I'm already smiling." "Sweet!" he whispered as she walked around from behind him and stood facing him from across the table. "I used the letters from your tray to make 'complete.'" "So I get to use the ones in yours?" "Of course." "But you know what they are." "Actually I don't, because I can't remember them and you've moved them to face you and I haven't been able to take my eyes off your face." "I'm sorry I had to take my eyes off yours. I didn't want to spill the letters as I was taking them from you. That would have upset a nice game." "I'm glad you're looking at me again." "I'm staring." "You know, I love the feeling when you do that. Besides, my remembering the letters wouldn't make a difference now. We're both going to know them as soon as you put them on the board. There are no more letters left." "May I play the letters?" "Sure. Why do you ask?" "You need to let me stop staring at you." "Okay," she whispered, "play." He put the letters down slowly, after the "T" of her "complete": 0, ..G, ..E, ..T, ..H, ..E, ..R. He stared at her again. She smiled again. "79 points. 15 from 'together.' 14 from 'heat.' 50 from using all seven letters. It's a tie." "Complete, together, emode, heat," she said, "what a game!" "Game's over," he said, still staring. "Yes," she said, still smiling, "time for bed." 050401 ... Q "Emode" is supposed to be "emote." Sorry. 050402 ... camille oops.... mispelled word "Emode?" that means you don't pass go, and you don't get to go to bed... That means it's my turn.... wow and look here what I have in my tray with a borrowed T from you .... Elbow on table hand cupping chin and index finger tapping my lips.... ok here goes .... C......H.......E.......C......K.......M.....A.....T......E grinning....remember the song...."It's like the song that never ends...." 22 points silently clapping and laughing... giggling now 050406 ... Q Oh, but wait, the word wasn't misspelled. It was just reported incorrectly in the story. Besides, at the end all the letters had been played. There was no t to borrow, although surely it would have been lent if there had been one to lend. So this checkmating must have happened later, after a beautiful sleep. :-) 050407 what's it to you? who go blather from