40 DATE WITH THE GODS
knew it would be challenging. She was smart, opinion
ated and the kind of girl who enjoyed giving a fellow a
hard time.
As I enjoyed my erotic fantasies in silence, watching
her, she looked at me with a cool, penetrating gaze.
"Don't get any ideas," she said, "I'm not that kind of
girl."
"They all say that," I said defensively. "What is it with
you? How did you know what I was thinking? Are you
psychic or something ?"
"Something ."
"You're something all right. But I'm not going to ask
you any more. No sense asking, since, according to you, I
not open enough to handle it.
You're with the CIA, right?"
"Wrong. Don't be so sensitive. I'm being cautious for
your own good."
"Rama, is it that terrible?" I asked, genuinely con
cerned.
"Well, not exactly terrible, but. ... "
"Embarrassing?" I said interrupting her thought pro
cess.
"No, not at all. Look, it seems to me you've suddenly
lost your interest in flying saucers," she accused.
"No, I haven't."
"Then why don't we continue? There's much more."
"What, for instance?"
"Did it ever occur to you that there may be life on
other planets, in other parts of the universe?"
"Yes, it has come to my mind. But who cares about
other life in the Universe when there are more impor
tant things right here on earth that need our immediate
attention ?"
"Have you ever wondered if life on the other planets
could be the same as it is here, or what the people look
like ?"