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"Getting to First Base" Con't Page 3
R/T, Zlanna@aol.com

Riker's batting order had an Orion Ensign as the first batter. Although new to the Enterprise, the ensign's father had been a diplomat and she grown up on Earth playing baseball in school. She had volunteered to play but she was nervous as she approached the plate. There was little need to worry she soon realized. Data's precision pitching was not going to give her an opportunity to hit the ball. She acquired three strikes in quick succession. Returning to the dug-out the Orion looked at Crusher. "Clock speed?"

"You don't want to know." Beverly answered.

Deanna was next with three searing strikes down the middle. Guinan bit her lip, took her bat and looked over at Riker. "Any advice?" she asked.

Riker pulled slowly on his beard. "Protect the middle of the plate." Out of the corner of her eye Guinan caught sight of Riker reaching for his fielding glove. "Not so fast Commander." she thought. Determined to at least get a piece of something Guinan let the first pitch go by just to see the fast ball in motion. She did almost see it too. The next pitch she was counting as it reached the plate for a strike. The third pitch she was ready. As Data reached back to start his wind-up Guinan swung. Everyone on the field and everyone seated in the dug out was surprised by the crack of the bat against the rawhide and by the sight of Guinan on first base.

The bench of the Command Performers was full of cheering, screaming team mates still finding it hard to believe anyone had managed a single off of Data.

Deanna heard Will's silent curse and shared Will's grief. Although Guinan had the right idea, she had probably lost the game for the Command Performers even though Deanna Troi and Will Riker were the only ones to realize it.

Riker picked up his bat slowly. He ran his fingers down the sides and gave a couple of swings to loosen up. Data had gotten careless, but had followed conventional wisdom, "stay with what works." In this case the fast ball down the middle had worked so Data had stayed with it. Will had planned on utilizing that to his advantage in the next inning as the lead off batter. The only hope the Command Performers had was for Will to hit a home run in the early innings and to prevent Data's team from scoring the entire game. It would be a challenge - he and Deanna had never faced an android before that Deanna couldn't read. Now the question was what would Data do? Would he start with a fast ball or another pitch. If he stayed with the fast ball would he put it down the middle? Data knew that Riker was a good hitter and Guinan's single had been a reminder not to be predictable. Data was probably expecting Will to go after the first pitch anticipating that Data would want to get ahead of the count early. Taking a deep breath Will strode up to the plate outwardly confident.

Data's pitch sailed outside the plate at 125 miles per hour. Riker let out his breath. Data would go for a strike and chances were he would not use another f ast pitch. Riker had a chance. Data would go with the slider, Riker was certain. The only question was where would Data put the slider. Riker knew Data was studying him for any indication of where Riker was looking for the ball. Shifting his stance, Riker looked over to the left field wall. Data caught the glance. Riker looked for the slider on the outside corner. Just as his predecessor's had done, Will began his swing as Data began his wind-up. Playing shallow in right field, Security guard Johnson watched Riker's deep drive go over his head, settling in the stands just behind the home run line. Riker trotted around the bases still marveling at the two run lead his team had managed to accrue. He was willing to bet it was all they would get. He hoped it would be enough.

Data's next victim fell quickly and the teams switched places.

Geordi LaForge knew his primary function as lead off hitter was to provide Data with an opportunity to analyze Riker as a pitcher. Geordi knew that the Commander would probably play it safe on the first pitch going for a straight fast ball down the middle. At least that is what he hoped. Troi concentrated. She couldn't read Geordi's thoughts exactly but she did pick up on his general nervousness and when he glanced up at Will a single emotion was broadcast. Predictability. Troi was guessing that meant fast ball down the middle.

"Breaking ball on the inside." She sent.

"Breaking ball on the first pitch?" Will sent back.

Troi spit on the ground, projecting her thought, "Hey! No arguing with your catcher or do you want to call the game this time?"

Riker doubled over laughing at the mound, his concentration broken by Troi's antics. "No, Imzadi. The only time I want to call the shots is in bed." he replied mentally, laughing further as she stuck out her tongue at him from behind the catcher's mask.

"Curve on the inside Riker and keep it clean." Troi's silent laughter calmed down Riker's own jitters.

"Strike One!" Picard announced.

Troi watched the engineering chief mutter to himself. That was when the key to playing LaForge revealed itself. He was scared of the inside pitch. "Change-up, high and away." she sent.

Riker delivered the change up exactly where Troi wanted it. Now that the game had started the two were all business just as they had been the summer Riker had joined Troi's intramural team on Betazed. Betazoids had their own league since they were telepaths. Deanna had not been permitted to play on that team since she was only an empath. Riker, who at times believed he was the only one in Alaska to have developed a love of the ancient sport, had volunteered to help her pathetic team of empaths and humans in the non-telepathic league. Their Imzadi link had permitted her to send the calls to him and his dead center aim had allowed them to strike out every batter in the league. No one had ever scored on the two and few had ever even gotten the 'wood' on the ball. So deadly were the two Imzadi that there had been an attempt to get them thrown out of the league, but the rules said nothing about Imzadis playing together on the same team that year. Of course, those rules were changed the next year, but in the meantime the two kept only goose eggs under their opponents' names on the scoreboards.

Troi could always tell when Riker was hot and with only two pitches, he was warming up nicely. Geordi had been set up and now Troi gave the order to finish the job. "Fast ball, low and inside." LaForge never had a chance.

Johnson was the next victim. A tall, slender, soft-spoken man of African-American heritage his great-great grandfather had been one of the last professional baseball players. James Johnson had grown up hearing of his exploits on the field and his charity work that the fame of playing had allowed his ancestor to pursue. He had never played the game before but the chance to play was irresistible. You have to pay your dues, his father had often quoted his great-great-grandfather as saying. Johnson paid his with three quick lessons in 97, 96 and 98 mile an hour fast balls. His swing was so hopelessly slow, Deanna had kept telling Will to deliver another and another until Picard called the out on strikes.

Worf chose his bat carefully. He knew he had only two adversaries, Deanna Troi and Will Riker. He had already guessed that the two were communicating somehow. Deanna had once confided that she could sometimes send messages to Riker. He was betting that she was doing so now. Two could play this game he decided. Walking up to the plate the Klingon squinted out at his commanding officer.

Deanna observed Worf for a moment searching for a weakness. She found none. "Ball high and away."

"Pitch?" Will sent back.

"Doesn't matter. Don't let him hit it. We are walking him." Troi responded.

"Ball one." Picard announced.

"Ball inside and low." Troi commanded. Riker delivered. Again Worf laid off.

"Ball in the dirt, outside." Troi ordered. Will didn't want to break his concentration by questioning Troi's calls. One thing he had learned was just to go with what she requested. She got a wild, fast ball in the dirt that went right by her. With no one on the bases it didn't matter.

"Fast ball on the inside corner." Troi called.

Worf saw the fast ball coming and it was incredibly within reach. He snarled. A fatal mistake commander. Swinging he clipped a piece of the ball sending it flying high in the air. Too high. The ball didn't carry at all but popped up to Crusher who was ecstatic to catch something. Picard smiled. "Three outs" he called, careful to sound entirely neutral.

The teams switched places for the second inning. Three outs came quickly for the Command Performers. Will was not surprised. Taking the field he glanced at Troi. Data was the lead off hitter and the only real challenge to the Imzadi couple.

Data chose the 36 inch, 40 ounce aluminum bat, not because aluminum was superior to the mentaurium, but because historically it seemed more appropriate. He turned on his emotion chip, not because he thought it would provide him with any intuition regarding Commander Riker's choice of pitches, the android knew he would pick up the pitch as soon as it left the hand of the First Officer, but because Data had been warned by Worf that Deanna was calling the game telepathically to Riker. Data knew that Troi was able to pick up emotions from him when the emotion chip was on. No one could explain how she was able to do this, but she did seem able to fairly accurately read his emotions. He planned to use that to his advantage.

Troi noticed immediately that Data had turned on his emotion chip. He had it turned off before. Concentrating she could tell that Data was worried that he could not hit what Will might dish out. Troi wasn't fooled for a minute. What Data hadn't counted on was that Deanna and Will had absolutely no intention of giving Data anything to hit. Troi stood up and stuck the big catcher's glove out to her right side - way out to her side. Will dutifully tossed the ball so wide of the plate that Data couldn't possibly connect with the ball without stepping out of the batter's box. Data prepared each time for a strike, but three more balls were tossed wide and Picard announced the walk. Data realized then that the game was over. Riker could strike out every man on his team except him and he had no intentions of pitching to Data.

Unfortunately in baseball, you cannot concede the game as in chess. Even if you realize in the second inning, as Data had done, that you have lost, you still have to continue to play. Some might believe that masochistic, but most recognize that since the game is dependent on the whim of the rawhide sphere more than on man's desires, an element of chance prevails that cannot be discounted. With Data on first, Will Riker struck out the next two batter's in a row, bringing up the worst player on Data's team. Geordi was the one who had insisted Data add Barkley to his roster. The bench was deep enough that Geordi figured they could carry the nervous engineering Lieutenant. Once Barkley had realized that Troi was playing on Riker's team he had wanted to switch sides, but he couldn't let Geordi down after he had pushed so hard to get Barkley on Data's team, so Barkley had remained. Walking up to the plate, Barkley smiled at Deanna while standing in the batter's box. Deanna smiled back, patiently waiting for Barkley to get settled. Instead Barkley continued to glance back and smile at Troi. Deanna knew that Will's timing was suffering from the break in his rhythm. Finally Deanna nodded at Will and the fast ball on the low, inside corner was fired across the plate. Barkley had just turned toward Troi when Will had let loose and so Reggie's view was of Troi catching the ball. Lieutenant Winoski jumped off the bench, yelling all the Cardasian curses he knew at Barkley. Flustered, Barkley turned back to Riker just as the First Officer snapped the slider toward the plate for strike two. Barkley would have chased the hard ball if he could have gotten the bat off his shoulder. Sneaking a peak at his bench, Barkley saw that everyone was standing up complaining that Barkley hadn't even tried to hit the ball. Troi sent Will the call for a high change up pitch to the outside. Barkley closed his eyes and swung, not even aware of Will's wind up. As the bat smacked the ball, Will knew the hit was clean. Guinan chased the drive that fell just in front of her and when Riker looked back toward Deanna he saw Data crossing home. Barkley was grinning from ear to ear on second. "Thank God for Guinan's extra run." thought Will.

The third out soon followed and the Command Performers returned to their dugout.

Data dispatched the next two batters in a row bringing up the Orion once again and the top of the order for the Command Performers. Data was mixing up his pitches now, though there was little need, with his 120-130 mile an hour fast balls no one was able to connect. The Orion watched a curve, a change-up and a fast ball cross the plate without even swinging. No one blamed him.

Will and the rest of the Command Performers took the field to face the bottom of the order at the bottom of the third inning. Communications officer Sighn Tally eyed Riker thoughtfully. The wiry short-stop had played baseball all his life. His father had been a big fan, and even though cricket was the preferred sport in Delhi where he had grown up, Sighn had remained true to the American game. There was nothing Sighn Tally wanted more than to get a hit off of Will Riker. Deanna Troi, sitting comfortably behind the plate felt Sighn's determination and regretted the fact that she and Will would have to deny Tally his goal. Watching Sighn's warm-up swings with the bat, Deanna spied his weakness. He reached with the bat. Three inside pitches later, Sighn Tally was smarting from the batting lesson Riker had just given him.

Geordi LaForge walked slowly to the plate a defeated man. He tried to take solace from the fact that Barkley had gotten on base. Barkley had proved it was possible for a human to hit off of Riker. Perhaps, LaForge thought, perhaps I can do the same. As soon as Riker began his wind up, LaForge was swinging. He was swinging high. Will's pitch went low. "Low", thought Geordi, "okay what are the odds, Riker will go low again. He likes to mix everything up. He'll probably go high this time." The reason Geordi never won the poker games was his intuition was almost non-existent. He was a fine engineer, meticulously working out solutions to baffling problems, but he needed to work through numerous combinations before the insight struck. In baseball, you don't have time to eliminate the likely possibilities. You have to guess right the first time or you have a very short career. Once again, the pitch went low. "Well, there is no way, he'll throw another high pitch." Geordi thought to himself.

Deanna sent to Will, "High outside, change up." Geordi couldn't resist the pitch. He swung quickly - too quickly. He was way ahead of the ball, but at least he had been right. It was a high strike three.

Johnson was next. He expected to strike out. He did. It was quick and merciless and clean. Three fast balls. No messing around.

The Command Performers turned the field over to Data's team to start the top of the fourth inning. Deanna walked up to the plate. She knew Will did not expect her to hit. Will knew her favorite batting strategy but had already cautioned her not to use it. "Don't even think about it against Data, Imzadi." she heard in her mind. Squinting she grimaced. Having him able to read her thoughts so easily was getting to be a pain. Actually he hadn't really read her thoughts, he just knew she was anxious to try and help the team. Data's first pitch was a knuckle ball that Deanna could never have hoped to hit. The next pitch was the one she had been looking for and unbelievably it was barreling down the middle of the plate. So strong was Deanna's concentration that she never heard Will's anguished yell as he saw her slide the bat down her left hand and square herself in the batter's box.

Data turned off the emotion chip quickly when he realized what Troi was attempting. One of the disadvantages of being an android was the ability to be aware of so many things at once. Data watched the 120 mile an hour fast ball zeroing in at Troi, heard Riker's yell and saw Crusher grabbed him as the First Officer started to jump out of the dugout as if he could single handily save the Counselor, then saw Crusher bury her head against Will's shoulder as she was unable to look. Data himself closed his eyes unwilling to see what would happen when Troi missed the bunt and was struck by the rock hard ball. The crack was sickening to Beverly Crusher until she realized that it was not Troi's bones that were breaking, but it was the sound of a fast ball being bunted up the middle. The Betazoid would never had made it to first base if Data had not had his eyes closed. Opening them, he was staring at a smiling Riker. Turning at a 45 degree angle the android spotted a very smug looking Deanna Troi on first base and three feet in front of him lay the hard ball. Behind him Data heard Winoski say something about Deanna's balls but he android could not spot anything in the Counselor's hands.

"Nice acting, Commander." Troi projected.

"Thanks." Will returned, sinking down on the bench totally drained. That was when Troi realized that Riker had thought she was going to be injured. "Deanna, please don't do that again." he silently begged.

"Come on Riker, just knock me in." she replied terribly cocky now that she had reached first.

Guinan was next. Data eyed her warily remembering that she had been the only other hitter besides Will Riker to reach base on him so far. The first pitch narrowly missed the outside corner. Guinan laid off it. "Ball one." Picard shouted. The second pitch narrowly missed the inside corner. "Ball two." Picard shouted. Next Data tried to tease Guinan with a pitch that just missed the bottom of the strike zone. "Three and oh." Picard warned.

Data preferred not to throw strikes to Guinan. After a millisecond, he decided to go with a curve. It broke just in front of the plate and Guinan was swinging wildly trying to correct herself in mid-swing. "Strike one." Picard called. A knuckle ball kissed the inside corner. "Strike two." Guinan frowned. She had no idea what would come next. For consistency, she began her swing as Data wound up and aimed for the middle. Only problem was Data was aiming for the high outside. "One out." Picard called.

Riker was up. This time all he had to do was knock Deanna in. Data fired a fast ball down the middle. Riker didn't even come close to touching it. The second pitch was a blazing fast ball on the outside corner. Strike two. Riker cursed to himself and looked over at Troi. If he wasted her bunt she might try it again. Data had entered the zone. It was a special place that pitchers dream about. It is that space and time in which you know just where the ball is going to go and you know you are invincible. The fast ball that Data threw to the inside on Riker was clocked at 140 miles per hour. Deanna never hesitated but ran as fast as she could for second base. Ensign Karmak had played a little softball as a youngster. Slow pitch softball. He was surprised when Data asked him to catch for the Enterprise team, but he supposed his big frame made him a big target at the plate. Ensign Karmak had never seen a 140 mile an hour fast ball. He had never tried to catch a 140 mile an hour fast ball either. He drew back in horror at the speeding ball. It sailed right past him. Right into the belly of Picard. Deanna was safe at second when Picard finally caught his breath enough to yell, "Ball one."

Two strikes and one ball. Riker knew he had to get a hit or Deanna would never let him hear the end of it. Data's next pitch was a slider. Will got a piece of it. Enough to send it right to the shortstop who threw Riker out easily at first for the second out. The first baseman fired the ball at third. Deanna dramatically slid. It was a great slide. She tucked her back foot under, her front foot up. It was a classic slide. The best slide in the world is no good though if it is several seconds too late and Deanna's slide was several seconds too late. Three out. Once again, the Command Performers took the field for the bottom of the fourth inning. Troi walked dejectedly toward the bench to retrieve her glove, catcher's mask and padding. Riker was standing there sheepishly holding the padding. She frowned at him, then softened. "One run is all we need, remember. Let's just make sure we hold them." She reminded him. Putting on her mask she watched him walk to the mound, the double play completely forgotten.

Three outs later, the Command Performers headed back for toward their dugout.

T'wank was an extremely elegant looking Vulcan woman who had served on the Enterprise for three years in tactical. She had never played baseball. She had never seen a game, nor read about the sport prior to her recruitment by Beverly Crusher. T'wank, when she was nine years old had wanted to join the track team at her school. Her father, had logically decided that she was too tall to be a good runner and therefore she should pursue the sport of kenuch instead. Kenuch basically was a sport that involved strapping oneself into a harness attached to a pair of wings and diving off a cliff. T'wank had never understood her father's logic. She was drawn to team sports. Joining the Command Performers was more a statement to herself that she was free to chose her own way. Studying the projectory of the ball, T'wank believed she could hit the ball if she concentrated hard enough. She had not succeeded in practice nor in the first inning, but that did not deter T'wank in her efforts. Data fired a blazing fast ball on the low inside corner for the first strike. That was followed by a rising curve ball for the second strike and he clenched the out with a change-up pitch on the inside. T'wank left the batter's box, more convinced than ever she would get a hit before the game was over.

Six pitches later, Data retired the Command Performers. Will responded with three strikeouts of his own. The sixth, seventh and eighth innings were a repeat of the fifth. Three up, three down. Entering the top of the ninth inning, Riker was the lead off batter. Data decided to pursue a different strategy. He lobbed a slow ball towards home plate. His idea was to throw Riker off and it might have worked except that Riker recognized the change in Data's delivery style. Waiting patiently Riker knocked the ball over Worf's head. In most stadiums, the hit would have been a home run, but this field, modeled after the 1910 Fenway stadium, the center field was exceptionally deep. The Commander's deep ball was not deep enough, falling just short. Worf grabbed the ball and fired it at the third baseman, who assumed the ball would go out of the park and was not had his back turned to the play.

Ensign Karmak scooped the ball up holding Riker at second.T'wank was next. This time she waited for her fast ball on the outside corner. She didn't get it the first time. She didn't get it the second time. She got it the third time and she was ready. Swinging a little late she sent the ball kissing the ground towards first.

T'wank was out at first, but Riker was safe at third. Beverly Crusher had struck out every time at bat. She realized that she wasn't the only one to have a K after her name in the score book, but the vile taste of failure still stung. All she had to do was knock Riker in. She thought back to Troi and her bunt. Licking her lips, the doctor was still considering the tactic when the fast ball crossed the inside corner. She decided she was going to need another strategy. Data had gotten her out with inside sliders every time. He usually started with a slider, went to a fast ball and then went back to an inside slider. His first pitch this time at the plate was a fast ball. He followed with an outside slider. Guessing he would stick with what worked, Crusher set herself looking for a slider to the inside. Data delivered in the same spot and Crusher got the bat on the ball. The line drive down the left line nearly took out Will Riker's face. He fell to the ground as the projectile flew over him, jumped up and barreled toward home. Ensign Karmak watched the throw come in. Then he saw all 6 feet 4 inches of Riker coming at him full speed. Karmak did the only reasonable thing an Ensign could do when his Commanding Officer was flying at him full speed - he jumped out of the way. Riker landed on his belly, dragging his foot across the plate. The Command Performers now had their third run and Beverly Crusher had her revenge. It tasted sweet indeed. The next two batters went down on Data's fast balls.

Since they were three to one Data's team had their last ups. Data strode up to the plate. He represented the last threat to the Command Performers, the last hope of his team. Will waited for Troi to call the pitch. She knew that Data would have no trouble with Will's fast pitch which had dropped to 93 miles per hour at the eighth inning. Data could handle the slider, the curve, the knuckle ball too probably. Sighing, Deanna stood up and held her glove to the far right. Four pitches later Data looked up at Picard who waved him to first base.

Two batters in a row went down on Riker's split fingered 'slow' fast balls. That brought Barkley to the plate. Deanna waited for Barkley to get set in the batter's box. He strode up to the box confident, even over confident in his abilities. Troi hated to see him make the last out but baseball was a game of chance as Barkley's first at bats had proved and they couldn't afford to be generous. Riker's curve clipped the inside corner for strike one, followed by a slider that Barkley chased unsuccessfully on the outside for strike two. Deanna asked for the fast ball up the middle. "You are getting sentimental on me." Will projected.

"Trust me." she returned.

Barkley couldn't believe that the ball was coming right down the center of the plate. Swinging with all his might he knocked a deep fly into center field. Guinan had no trouble catching the ball for the final out. Standing at home plate Barkley was disappointed until he heard Winoski yell, "Yes, Reg! At least we didn't end on a strike out!

On the other side of the field, the Command Performers were dancing and screaming unaware of the celebrations that had already started throughout the rest of the ship. Will Riker and Deanna brought up the back of the line as the teams shook hands. Data followed his team and reached over to shake Riker's hand. "I'm curious, Sir. We had the stronger and the more experienced players. Why then did we lose?"

Riker, in his exuberant mood, draped his arm around the shoulders of his android friend. "Data, strength helps, experience helps, but in the end what wins the game, is the how well the team plays together."

"I understand," Data replied, "the strategy of the game is more important than the physical strength of the individuals."

"Right." Riker laughed. "Come on Data, let's go to ten-forward and we'll get Deanna to help us come up with a strategy against 411."

The next day Deanna woke up to find Riker had already risen to report early to the bridge. A note was on her console among her day's messages. "Meet me in Holodeck 3 after the second shift. W." The day sped by and finally Deanna's last appointment ended marking the beginning of the third shift. Deanna Troi made her way to Holodeck 3 and stood outside and grinned at the program that was running. Will had programmed the championship game, the last game of the season that their Intramural team had played 20 years beforehand. She entered the stadium and made her way down to the front row seat directly behind the plate taking her place next to the man that was an exact, but older version of the pitcher on the mound.

Turning in his seat, Riker smiled, handing Deanna a red and white box.

"What is this?" Deanna pulled out a single, white piece of food.

"Popcorn." Riker took a swig of his beer.

Gingerly she put it in her mouth. "Must be a regional specialty." she replied.

"I'm sorry, I left the chocolate off of it." Will teased.

"You can get it with chocolate?" Deanna asked suddenly interested.

"No. Here." Will handed her something wrapped in paper with the name Baby Ruth on it. Peeling off the wrapper, Deanna's smile widened and she eagerly tasted the confection.

Will pointed at the field. "Our championship game 20 years ago. Top of the second inning."

Deanna wiggled in the hard seat. "We beat them 7 to nothing. It was after this game we went to Janaran Falls, Will, to celebrate."

"This is how I always remember that summer we got back together, Deanna," Will nodded at the game, "the two of us - totally in tune with each other, totally focused."

Deanna smiled, finishing the sentence for him. "Totally in love. Everything so uncomplicated. I remember how the summer started, opening my dorm door and finding you standing there."

"I saved all my leave on the Hood and then came back for six weeks to Betazed to get you to forgive my 'indiscretion' with Wendy Roper and give the two of us another chance." Riker looked over at Deanna, absently taking her hand in his. "You weren't so hard to convince as I recall. What did I say when I showed up at your dorm room? Deanna, we can make this work? As I recall your answer"

Deanna blushed and quickly interrupted him, "Was non-verbal."

Will laughed. "But you got the point across."

"I had missed you." Deanna focused back on the game trying to redirect the conversation.

"You were horny."

"Will!" Deanna was so shocked to hear him use such vulgar language in front of her she projected his name.

"We spent the entire time together, playing two games a week, practices three times a week. Then the championship game, then our weekend at Janaran Falls." Riker fell silent remembering the anticipation of Risa and the subsequent heartbreak he had caused Deanna. "A long time ago." Riker said wistfully.

Troi leaned over and kissed him. "Not so long ago, Will."

As Riker pulled Deanna back towards him for another kiss, the sides changed positions and the younger Riker came to the plate. "You're up to bat." Deanna nodded toward the field.

"I'm just getting to first base." Will replied, recounting the play so many years earlier.

Deanna stopped kissing him long enough to study him for a moment. "Oh, I have a feeling you are going all the way this time, Imzadi."

I only do this for the pleasure of Imzadi fans. If you enjoyed the story or if you have suggestions, please send me your comments Zlanna@AOL.com.