Yes, because it looks like we are at the end, the beginning has arrived. Time for you to ask all your questions which have been nagging you for the last . . . oh, I don't know . . . half hour or so. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to write this! If only I'd started at the beginning of the school year, then maybe it would've taken less time. Oh, well, it's too late now.

No Time

Part One Autumn and Gia jumped through a first story window. They were unharmed. By the way, about half of the characters I made up in these stories are based on actual people. Since I do not have their express written consent, I will not reveal the true identities of these characters . . . but their initials are —!

Part Two Mike was in the bathroom.

Part Three Feel free to hold your own Popcorn Night sometime! This could be a national trend! No, Autumn wasn't using a calculator. It's simple math, really. By the way, I recommend stove-top ("hand popped") popcorn to microwave. It's just a personal favorite.

Part Four If Gia and Autumn's hotel room numbers seem familiar, that's because they are the numbers from Monkees in Manhattan. 304 is the Monkees' room, but they switch numbers with the room across the hall, home to a pair of honeymooners. The reference to Autumn and Peter being tabloid material is talking about a social tabloid that was mainly read by social climbers and social elite. The tabloid has no name and is fictional. It's my story, isn't it?!

Part Five No questions about the crime, please. We have no comment to make at this time.

Part Six Questions welcomed!

Part Seven Yes, the chore of straightening up his room was so pressing that Mike left his four friend to work out their problems themselves. Besides, they'd all probably resent him if he did reach some agreement for them. Any agreement reachable for Micky and Gia would end up injuring one of their feelings anyway.

Mary, Mary

Part One What did Autumn say "Told you so" for? well, they told Micky and Gia that if they wouldn't help themselves, nobody else could.

Part Two Yes, now you can ask about the phrase, "in the twinkling of an eye." It just means a tiny amount of time. Micky wouldn't ever see that you can only find green strawberries in September, that's must not true.

Part Three Questions welcomed. I might add that I do enjoy writing mushy scenes with Autumn (based on me) and Peter.

Part Three Point Seven Two Six Three, Approximately Just a little comic relief in the middle of all this Sturm und Drang.

Part Four Rachel is, apparently, just as crazy and Micky. Good crazy, mind you!

Part Five Micky must be applauded for his musicianship! Though Solfigietto is less than a minute long, a whistler (and his mother, I suppose) would have to have a very impressive range to fully recreate the song. (Over and over and over and over.) I refuse to go into details as to Davy and Gia's encounter. Let me just say that it was a moment of weakness for all involved.

Part Six Although it may seem like this story is only six parts, don't forget 3.7263 is a part. I stand by my statement about a guy in tails. No, wait, I stand by it conditionally. "The Man" turned on "the air conditioner." Then, "the Man" turned on "the heat."

"The heat! The heat! The heat!"

Don't Call on Me

This song is by Mike Nesmith and John London of raccoon-owning fame.

Part One The regular italkics are Mike's voice over. I had an incorrect quote there initially, and I may have neglected to correct it. If that is the case, please feel fre to contact me at tx.prairie.chick@usa.net. (That's tx dot prairie dot chick at usa dot net.)

Part Two Okay, so you know that Lael was an actual human being, and Rachel wasn't some psychopath. But why did Rachel hear Lael and Autumn didn't? That's simple—radios. The little, teeny, tiny kind the Secret Service use, only on remote. I don't know and don't have time to find out if they really did have those, but when you change your plot line later, it's easier to say, "Don't bug me about it, nit-pickers!"

Part Three I know, I know, $12,000 seems a little steep, even for the sixties. I knew someone had to ask about it, so here are my calculations.

> $100 for 3 hrs. (Monkees in Manhattan) in New York, NY
$50 for 1 day, and two meals of room service at The Four Seasons.

$50 x 30 (avg. days/month) x 8 months = $1500 x 8 = $12,000

If you ask me, it's quite a bargain! I suppose if you looks carefully at all the damage the Monkees made, as well as all their food, their room would have been much less expensive. Autumn is, apparently, very generous. I found the quotation at the end in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary under "insipid." Again, that quote is "The audience is vulgar and stupid, you've got to pander to them." —Herman Wouk.

Part Four The reason Lael did not previously know about the thin walls is because they didn't have "neighbors" before.

Part Five By the way, a month passed. Rachel hadn't cashed the check for fear that it would bounce, and she finally asked Autumn about it.

Part Six Questions welcomed. Rachel enjoyed herself.

Part Seven Again, questioned welcomed.

Gonna Buy Me a Dog

Part One If you want to know whether the crash and the arson are related, I'll tell you this much—yes. Someone tampered with Autumn's steering.

Part Two At the request of the real life Gia, Gianna, Micky and all the other Monkees remain friends. In the future, however, after Autumn moves out, Gianna isn't around them as much, because they just aren't around to inform her of their get togethers anymore.

Part Three Okay, I personally think this is a weak part, probably the weakest in the whole thing. It's simply another milestone in Autumn rising below her past. Yes, that's what I mean.

Part Four The truth comes out!!!! I couldn't think of a name or even a kind or place that Autumn took them, so I was vague.

Part Five Ditto on being vague. Micky's proposal was serious. Rachel would have accepted if she didn't have to leave. Micky doesn't forget about this in the future, but he does try to ignore it.

Part Six Micky fell asleep in the airport after Rachel left. This is neither the time nor the place to explain Autumn's parents. Just plain too long and invloved.

Part Seven In case I wasn't clear enough, Mallori, Gia, Olivia, Autumn, Davy, Micky, Mike and Peter are fixing up the house. Carey eventually just walked away.

Part Eight According to www.babynames.com, the meaning of Cassandra given here is accurate.

I certainly hope you enjoyed these stories! Please direct any feedback to autumntree@hotmail.com. Thank you!