Sometimes that's just the way it has to be.

Sure, there were probably other options, but he didn't let

them enter his mind. It was done and that was that. It was just the way it had to be.

She had come to the conclusion that you could tell a lot about a person by their ears. The way they

stuck out and the size of the earlobes could give you wonderful insights into the person. Of course,

she couldn't scientifically prove any of this, but that didn't matter to her. Before anything else, she

would size up the ears of the person she was talking to.

The day had begun on a bright note. The sun finally peeked through the rain for the first time in a

week, and the birds were sinf=ging in its warmth. There was no way to anticipate what was about to

happen. It was a worst-case scenario and there was no way out of it.

He knew what he was supposed to do. That had been apparent from the beginning. That was what

made the choice so difficult. What he was supposed to do and what he would do were not the same.

This would have been fine if he were willing to face the inevitable consequences, but he wasn't.

She asked the question even though she didn't really want to hear the answer. It was a no-win

situation since she already knew. If he told the truth, she'd get confirmation of her worst fears. If he

lied, she'd know that he wasn't who she thought he was which would be almost as bad. Yet she

asked the question anyway and waited for his answer.

I recently discovered I could make fudge with just chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk,

vanilla extract, and a thick pot on slow heat. I tried it with dark chocolate chunks and I tried it with

semi-sweet chocolate chips. It's better with both kinds. It comes out pretty bad with just the dark

chocolate. The best add-ins are crushed almonds and marshmallows -- what you get from that is

Rocky Road. It takes about twenty minutes from start to fridge, and then it takes about six months to

work off the twenty pounds you gain from eating it. All things in moderation, friends. All things in
moderation.

What was beyond the bend in the stream was unknown. Both were curious, but only one was brave

enough to want to explore. That was the problem. There was always one that let fear rule her life.

This is important to remember. Love isn't like pie. You don't need to divide it among all your friends

and loved ones. No matter how much love you give, you can always give more. It doesn't run out, so

don't try to hold back giving it as if it may one day run out. Give it freely and as much as you want.

There was no time. He ran out of the door without half the stuff he needed for work, but it didn't

matter. He was late and if he didn't make this meeting on time, someone's life may be in danger.

There was no time. He ran out of the door without half the stuff he needed for work, but it didn't

matter. He was late and if he didn't make this meeting on time, someone's life may be in danger.

The cab arrived late. The inside was in as bad of shape as the outside which was concerning, and it

didn't appear that it had been cleaned in months. The green tree air-freshener hanging from the

rearview mirror was either exhausted of its scent or not strong enough to overcome the other odors

emitting from the cab. The correct decision, in this case, was to get the hell out of it and to call

another cab, but she was late and didn't have a choice.

It was a question of which of the two she preferred. On the one hand, the choice seemed simple.

The more expensive one with a brand name would be the choice of most. It was the easy choice.

The safe choice. But she wasn't sure she actually preferred it.

She tried to explain that love wasn't like pie. There wasn't a set number of slices to be given out.

There wasn't less to be given to one person if you wanted to give more to another. That after a set
amount was given out it would all disappear. She tried to explain this, but it fell on deaf ears.

Don't be scared. The things out there that are unknown aren't scary in themselves. They are just

unknown at the moment. Take the time to know them before you list them as scary. Then the world

will be a much less scary place for you.

She wondered if the note had reached him. She scolded herself for not handing it to him in person.

She trusted her friend, but so much could happen. She waited impatiently for word.

There were little things that she simply could not stand. The sound of someone tapping their nails on

the table. A person chewing with their mouth open. Another human imposing themselves into her

space. She couldn't stand any of these things, but none of them compared to the number one thing

she couldn't stand which topped all of them combined.

The lone lamp post of the one-street town flickered, not quite dead but definitely on its way out.

Suitcase by her side, she paid no heed to the light, the street or the town. A car was coming down

the street and with her arm outstretched and thumb in the air, she had a plan.

She had come to the conclusion that you could tell a lot about a person by their ears. The way they

stuck out and the size of the earlobes could give you wonderful insights into the person. Of course,

she couldn't scientifically prove any of this, but that didn't matter to her. Before anything else, she

would size up the ears of the person she was talking to.

She looked at her student wondering if she could ever get through. "You need to learn to think for

yourself," she wanted to tell him. "Your friends are holding you back and bringing you down." But

she didn't because she knew his friends were all that he had and even if that meant a life of misery,

he would never give them up.

pie people are really different. I know which one I hope you are, but that's not for me to decide. So,

what is it? Cake or pie?