s to the panel as evidence that you are not
telling the truth."

"This has nothing to do with the Termination For Cause action that this
hearing is all about," interrupted Henry. "You must keep to the
subject." How did I ever get into this fix, he thought. Aloud, he
continued, "Since this material does not bear directly on the matter at
hand, it cannot be allowed into evidence. Please continue."

"I have no further questions."

Whew, she gave up. Henry wiped his brow. That was close, I figured
she'd keep picking at him until he blew up and spattered all over the
room. Hurriedly he said, "You're excused, Randy. Please tell Ian to
come in before you leave."

Randy shared in the relief felt by the chair of the panel. He ran
lightly up the stairs to the witness room. "You're on next, Ian." He
was surprised when Ian fairly catapulted out of the room, grabbing his
arm as he passed and nearly hurled them both down the stairs. "What in
hell is the damned hurry?"

Safely away from the second floor, Ian steered Randy into an alcove
from where he could see the stairs. "That Mark! Honestly, Randy, he's
been driving me crazy. Talks a blue streak all the time. Ask him the
date and he'll discourse for hours on end before he gets to the point.
Holding any kind of a conversation with him is as impossible as
stopping a hurricane by shouting at it.

"I kept trying to get away. Once, I said I had to take a piss and the
son of a bitch came along with me, whizzing away in the next urinal,
without missing a word. I tell you, the man should be muzzled."

"Well, it looks as if he isn't going to follow you into the hearing
room, Ian. Calm down. They're waiting for you in there."

"Yeah, in a minute. Tell me first, Randy, how was it? Anything I
should watch out for?"

"Nada." Randy had regained his usual swagger. "Not a thing, old bean.
Between us, we'll give the bitch the old one two...."

"We're waiting for you, Ian." Henry said from the doorway of the
hearing room.

"Oh, right. I'm coming right along. Just had to get things straight
about who takes the review session today since I could be tied up here,"
blubbered Ian, apologetically. As he reached the door, he turned and
looked back up the stairs apprehensively. Seeing no one, he breathed a
sigh of relief and entered the hearing room.

Ian Heathson was of average height. His most striking features were
his mop of blond hair and pale blue eyes which