Lu-ti smiled  but whispered,..the prices are High here... well.. Adam always said they were high?... would  Fillet Migon be too much? I can order something else..if so?

 the waitress was   just coming around the fancy tables.. and was  quite a distance away.

"If filet mignon is what you would like, that is what you shall have. I'm going for a rib-eye steak, with a baked potato and spinach. Do you want a starter? My dad says to always have a starter so as to let the kitchen get organised to do a really good job on your main!"

Ben grinned, looking forwards to the meal but even more enjoying the company.

  when the waitress  reached them.. Lu-Ti ordered her   Fillet  Migon and a side of Mashed Potatoes.. she  also ordered another  order of Mushrooms  to nibble on while they waited.

   when the waitress left, Lut-ti said,..I lesrned to like the MAshed Potatoes.. Adam would make them  to make thier  food last longer, when i would eat with them? Yuto And I could  , go out , eat where ever  we  wanted to , if we wished?.. But Adma  would ne too proud to come with us.. so?.. we learned to  eat like college people..lots of pizza!

Ben also ordered some red wine to go with their meals.

"It's nice to be able to have what you want on occasion. I quite enjoy cooking for myself, though. Never been that keen on pizza though I eat it occasionally. Do you cook at all?"

  ..I can cook , much traditional foods, from my homeland... i have learned to make Pizza, mashed potatoes, Hot  dogs  and pasta!

 she  chuckles softly,..the first  part i learned from  my mother and our cook...the second i learned  from being a college student.

"I've never eaten much Japanese food," said Ben. "But I'd surely like to try. I cook most anything, my mother was a good cook and she taught me. When my dad stopped laughing he realised that it's actually quite useful for a fellow to know how to cook. He'd gone from home to the military and never had to cook for himself."

  she     waited as the  waitress sat the win down, and  the   Mushrooms, Then  headed off to check other  tables.

 ..If you ever come visit the homeland. We  weill have too much of it!

 she giggles,...even the   quick food  places.. have  JApanese spin on the items sold.

Ben nodded.

"That's understandable. Just as Tex-Mex is different from genuine Mexican, and Chinese food, I'm told, is considerably different from a place here than it is if bought in China. Things adapt... quite fascinating, really."

He sipped his drink.

"Your father was saying that maybe in the off-season I could visit Japan..."

  She   Nodded  quickly as  she  took a sip as well..Normally, Father   will travel once a week to Japan to  go over  his business , either  monday and Tuesday... but will change  up for the  evening games we play... He will use  big screens in office in Jacksonville, to conference call..when he will not  make the trips . He could.. 'get by'.. without  going over. But  father likes to make sure his people know he is still in charge....Jacksonville Factories and such.. are  run a bit different, he  will visit them from time to  time as a surprise..to make sure  the businesses run well...and the employees are cared for.. in this past year he had  fired  2  foreman for 'abusing' employees...

 ..he  will leave after the draft for a week or two... then he plans  on leaving for a week or two when the preseason starts...depending on what we do in the playoffs  he might leave after the Superbowl..Yuto has   made it clear, that , no matter how the season turns out, we have to make an appearance at the Super Bowl....not only to steal some thunder from other Owners.. but to give us a voice in the media  during that time...

  she frowns,..I will not like to go, if we are not in?... But i understand... media...they will..how you say...'grill us'.. and we can turn that against those who did not want us as Owners.

"So I was probably a class ahead of you," Wendy replied as she continued to drop the ball for Adam. "So likely we crossed paths at various points. But it's a big city and most runners don't really do more than nod at each other in the morning. Do you do the exercise where someone throws the ball into your abs and you catch it and return it as you do crunches?" Wendy asked. "They always talk about soft hands on the television for the wide receivers. Is that what you mean?" she added.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Jean continued her training, getting through the sets of 315 and 225 respectively, sweating pretty hard by the end of that set. Emma smiled. "Good. I'll set mine up and give you a bit of a breather," the woman replied as she upped the weight several plates on each side for her warm-up. "I'll be doing the opposite as you. You need to focus a little more, at first, on the endurance part. I'll be upping my weight each set," she explained. "And I'll let you pick how much I use for the sets of 3, 2, and 1," she added. "You should be comfortable in figuring that out, both for yourself and for others."

"That makes sense... Look. I need to tell you this. I spoke to your father about, uh, about us. I asked him if I might court you, told him that my intentions were honourable and serious."

Ben took a deep breath, suddenly nervous again.

"It seemed appropriate to do this formally, to ask his permission the old school way. He seemed to appreciate it, and asked... well, what I'd do if you wanted to go back to Japan, to live. If the team and his business ventures don't work out or something..."

He paused.

"I told him I'd follow you to the stars and back, if that's what made you happy. As for Japan, well, I said I'd better start learning to speak Japanese. I think he liked that. It's when he said I could come visit in Japan, see your home there."

He reached out and took Lu-Ti's hand gently in one of his big paws.

"I love you, Lu-Ti. And I want to be with you for ever. Properly. One day I hope... I hope that you'll consent to be my wife."

  Adam  snatched the ball about a quarter inch from the ground and pulled it in. the look on his face was that he wasn't happy with it getting that low.

 ..sort of?... People talk about  'soft hands'.. I have made  catches on my fingertips, that  made  no noise  at all.. i have  made  catches  with my fingers and the tops of my palms that made a  soft '' 'pok' sound... and I have made  catches that sounded like someone throwing the ball against  a bar  door.. the next once he caught  and pulled into the otherside of his body,..he was a bit happier  as it was  about an inch of the ground.

 ..the game has  changed.. I'm Lucky we Have Duke... even Steele? They can fire the ball hard... and you have to grab it and out it away.. so?..yeah, there is gonna be noise.... but they'll through a touch pass , and you haul it in, shouldn't make hardly a sound...

 ..this drill?  it   makes  my hands  and fingers  stronger, makes my arms  move faster then  if i was  waiting for the Jugs  machine to  fire off... and  Putting the heavier   ball away?... Makes  the  football  seem like  i did slight of hand...which?  is neat.  Sometimes DBs  will say, "man..how you do da.."


 and I'll says stuff like  " Voodoo from down the glades'....." Zen master taught  me how to use my mind to catch.."... its neat, cause they all  laugh until i give them a   real serious look.. and nod..then they start to think about it..sometimes they watch me catch the ball, before they  hit me...

 he  Laughs, read a book about Lee travino..some golfer great way back in the day?... he used to hustle   money on the golf  course... and he would say stuff to a  guy,"..hey?.. do you inhale, or exhale when you swing?

 he laughs again,..they would think about it so much.. they would shank  or hooks.. screw up chip shots... I sorta  do the same on the field...its bad  enough some  little guy is out there, catching balls and jacking... somewhere  they always  try to trash talk me at the begining of the game,, knocking me out...not gonna catch any footballs...make fun of my size?.... I Just nod and  grin and say something  like ".... I can;t wait to see the Highlights tonight.. how many  of them, will  you be trying to catch me?

 There is a shrug,..the real good  guys just shut up..and play then.. the  not-so-good  guys keep talking, and all it takes is one pass.. one break away run..even if its  10, 20 yards?... I tell them, That's one... you reading the back of  my jersey.. stuff like that.. then they start playing off?.. and  I can catch passes under them.. set them up for aa double move and Go down town?.. then the wheels  fall off.. and I own them...


 ..never tried the  crunch thing? The thing is?... the guys who are lifting  are there to lift...almost all of them, have bought into the Running thing, every win we get...helps show them its a good thing.. Line men are stronger  amd quicker... we  are changing the way O-lines and D-line splay..no more  fat 'run stoppers' or 'road Graders'.. now  we have quicker.. hard hitting big men, who can  dance around  their counterparts..

 ..but?.. no one trains like i train.. os i gotta get a trainer, or ball boy/gril to  help me with my  skill stuff...lets face it.. as fast as i am.. 4-5 years.. i'll get a bit  slower.. 10 years?.. I'll be run of the mill..15 years, I'll be a position receiver.. then he winks,..of course?.. I'll own all the records by then!

 Lu-ti's eyes opened  wide...as her Mouth........ you?  You.. i mean.. what did father.. I mean...

 The  waitress had stopped  cold as she  saw Ben reach  and Lu-ti trying to speak. She was a good  8 yards away..an waiter  stopped   and looked at  the waitress who nodded in Ben's direction...they both watched.

 ..I... I must tell you... I am...a handful?.. My father said...only a Samurai  would put up with me...and only because he had a sword!

 ..there is...much the chance... That i would wish to move back to Japan... i do not know when... the football team.. it is a big part of our lives now?.... can.. can you.. are you sure  you... can put up with that?

"I think that's why your father told me about his plans to raise the profile of football in Japan. There are but two things that make me happy: you and football. If I can still play, then perhaps coach and certainly watch, I'd be content anywhere if you were by my side. Remember, I'm a military brat. I'm used to making my home wherever Dad got posted."

Ben grinned.

"So if there's someplace you want to be, that will do me nicely."

   ..Then?   I wil say  yes... but.. I will  understand, that after you get to  know me better... if you should  rescind this.....offer.

 she looked at him  with raised  eyebrows...

  Twh waiter  and waitress stood in the backround whispering to each other.

"I never understood the fat lineman thing. I suppose you got stronger defensive linemen, so you needed bigger and stronger offensive linemen, and the cycle just continued until you got mostly unmovable walls. Really what you need is both I suppose, but that's tough to come by," Jean replied. "Your linemen did move around better than the Jets. And I didn't know hard throws were better to catch than soft throws," she added. "Maybe my hands are just too soft overall."

A nod was given as she kept dropping the ball for Adam. "Mind games. Tricking others and yourself. Big one we used was that if you can run one mile at a certain speed, then there wasn't any reason you couldn't run a second mile at that speed. Then a third and so on and so on. A lot of not letting them see you sweat and make yourself appear like you're not running that hard yet and you have a lot left in the tank. It's a classic trick to mess with your opponent."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emma and Jean continued training, with Emma lifting the heavy weight for ten sets of three weights at the weight Jean had set her up with. Emma set the weight down and Jean went to add some more weight to it. "So, how long until I can lift weight like this?" Jean asked. Emma smiled. "Depends on how hard you work and how well your body responds. This is probably a goal for early college though. You'll make a lot of big gains early on in this first year though. You're training in a tougher style, so you'll make early gains quickly, then it'll slow up a bit. That's normal."

  Adam nodded, he was  getting better, catching it sooner., putting it  away faster  with a  thud  against his  chest to  ribs, even turning his body as reflects  kicked in, to 'protect the ball..

  .. 5 more.... ..something you want to do?... I do this stuff  for a living?... you want to work on somthign that needs a parftner?..May as well use me?

  Tehre is a grin,.. the whole speed thing is a head game for me... start off slow on some buys, then beat the long?.. don't even have to catch it.. just let it be close enough to put the fear of god in them.... then?.. the next guy.. you flat out show him how fast you are... heck?  sometime i don't Even have to  block? the CB and Safety  will trun and  run with me  while  our back has the ball... then?.. you grin.. and wink.. and let them know, you'er  waiting for that 'one mistake'

Ben sat back in amazement.

"You will? You really will? My darling, you have made me so happy..."

He recollected himself just before leaping up to caper around in delight. Not the wisest thing to do in a smart restaurant.

"I must be the luckiest man in the world."

He sat there, sure he must be grinning like an idiot and really not caring much about it.

  the waiter  patted the Waitress on the BAck  and she  continued to make her  way to the TAble.

 setting   their  dishes   down before them. a the waiter followed with their sides...

  She  smiled and said,..I  pop back in about 15 minutes or so to see if you need anything else... give you a chance to  get into your meal.

"Thank you," said Ben, "It looks fantastic."

He waited until the waitress had gone before looking at Lu-Ti.

"But not as fantastic as you! I must admit, you caught me on the hop. I was expressing a hope that one day you would consent, and you jumped right in and made it that day! It's utterly amazing, and I am your slave for ever."

  there  was  a bit of  a stern Frown.....I do not want a slave..nor  would i wish to be...

 she inclined her  nose  and  half-lidded her eyes as she  said,..I want a partner  and a friend... too many japanese men want a slave..or to be a slave... I am not one of those  women..either one...

 She  wiggles in her  seat  and looks at her  entrée, and smiles,..thank you for this...

"Only in that your every wish will be my command, as much as I am able," clarified Ben.

"Other than that, partners it is."

He held a hand out to shake on the deal.

"Now, let us eat this before it gets cold."

He started work on his rib-eye.

 She  enjoys the  meal.. eating well, but still managing to be dainty .

 The waitress  returns  a bit later  and asks  if they need  anything else, putting  out a basket of 6 more  house  rolls  and homemade butter.

"It's wonderful, thank you," said Ben.

An excellent cut of meat, cooked to perfection... and his beloved, putting hers away in fine style. He took a sip of wine, savouring the moment.

    The waitress  returned  , she looked a bit embarrassed.

    ..I am sorry.. i..couldn't help but notice... I mentioned  it in the Back and the owner sent this out to celebrate...

   She placed a bottle of the Houses   best wine on the table , in a chill pot.after  she opened it she added two new wine Glasses...

   ..enjoy. flag me down if you need anything...or?  when you are ready for  desert.