Valerie met David at Steerage.
Steerage was a new restaurant that catered to the Headset crowd.
Those in The New Way
and those that just like vicarious "events"

a fine restaurant
 if one didn't mind the box turtles that were allowed to wander the floor.
the place reeked of them.
 clearly someone had paid off a few health inspectors
for "the show'

the one rule of the guests was that if a box turtle
landed on it's back, one could not flip it over.
and because there was alot of foot traffic.
there were quite a few
"upside down" turtles on the floor.


"have you been presenting yourself to kevin as that girl with her thumb up at Abugraib  Prison,the one smiling in front of the prisoners in those photos"Valerie asked David ,digging the last bits of meat out of a lobster claw.

" My word ,LA really  IS a small town isn't it""David said smiling,kicking a small  turtle across the room.