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Grace had finally convinced Max that it was time for a night out. Theresita found Jacob at a large table
with Max and Grace, Duncan and Jackie Rodrick, and Paul Warden, who was escorting, as usual, two
women, Sage Bryson and Evangeline Burr.
Juke had not yet met Theresita. He saw the newcomer and rolled hurriedly to the table just as she
leaned to kiss Jacob on the cheek.
“Who’s the beauty?” Juke asked, in his slightly flat, mechanical voice.
“What’s this?” Theresita asked.
“Ignore him and he’ll go away,” Sage said. Her treatment under Dr. Allano was going well. She was
learning some things about herself that frightened the hell out of her, but she was coping.
“I, madam, am Juke, the invaluable source of all things entertaining.” Theresita sat down, smiling
happily at the canlike robot.
“Ah,” Juke said, “I see that the newlyweds are out in force tonight. That reminds me—” “Not now,
Juke,” several of them chorused, and then burst into laughter.
Juke, encouraged, said, “I haven’t been married long myself, you know, but my wife’s been giving me
the cold shoulder so much lately that I’m thinking of buying her a thermal shawl.”
“What?” Theresita gasped, before she broke into laughter. “For God’s sake, don’t encourage him,”
Max moaned.
“I don’t know, what happens to romance after marriage,” Juke said, playing directly to Theresita, “but
the most I get from my wife these days is a passionate nudge. ”
Theresita laughed. She had an infectious, hearty laugh that was irresistible. The others laughed in spite
of themselves. Juke’s eyes glowed with pure happiness.
“My wife is wild about the lean, hard, vicious type. I guess that s why she’s always spending time with
her mother.”
“And to think I was considering marrying this woman,” Jacob said, as Theresita caught his shoulder
and leaned against it, laughing so hard that even Max chuckled.
“Before we got married my wife said, ‘You’re only interested in one thing.” After being married to her
for a while, I can’t even remember what it was.
“Oh, stop!” Theresita begged through laughter. “Second the motion.”
“I thought it was the English who were supposed to have a weird sense of humor,” Jacob said, grinning
at Theresita.
“He is so very funny!” Theresita gasped.
“Now you’ve done it,” Grace groaned. “He’ll be here all night.” She herself thought Juke was very
funny, too. She’d had a hilarious time using some spare memory chambers to hold the jokes of all the
old comedians on Earth.
“Did you read about the woman who divorced her husband for habitual adultery?” Juke said. “I don’t
see how you can call adultery a habit, but if it is, it sure beats nail biting.”
Grace winked at Juke and motioned him away. He rolled off, chuckling tinnily to himself. He hadn’t
been able to hold an audience for so many jokes in a long time.
