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what was originally a
    second choice.
    Now Celia said, "I didn't tell you this, but going to Hawaii would have
    made me sad."
    When he asked her why, one more piece of geometry from the past slipped
    into place.
    On December 7, 1941, when Celia was ten years old and with her mother in
    Philadelphia, her father, a U.S. Navy noncommissioned officer-Chief Petty
    Officer Willis de Grey-was in Hawaii, aboard the battleship USS Arizona at
    Pearl Harbor. During the Japanese attack that day, the Arizona was sunk and
    1, 102 sailors on the ship were lost. Most died belowdecks; their bodies
    were never recovered. One was Willis de Grey.
    "Oh yes, I remember him," Celia said, answering Andrew's question. "Of
    course, he was away a lot of the time, at sea. But when he was home on
    leave the house was always noisy, full of fun. When he
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was expected it was exciting. Even my little sister Janet felt it, though
    she doesn't remember him the way I do."
    Andrew asked, "What was he like?"
    Celia thought before answering. "Big, and with a booming voice, and he made
    people laugh, and he loved children. Also he was strong-not just
    physically, though he was that as well, but mentally. My mother isn't; you
    probably saw that. She relied on my father totally. Even when he wasn't
    there he'd tell her what to do in letters."
    "And now she relies on you?"
    "It seemed to work out that way. In fact, almost at once after my father
    died." Celia smiled. "Of course, I was horribly precocious. I probably
    still am."
    "A little," Andrew said, "But I've decided I can live with it."
    Later he said gently, "I can understand about the honeymoon, why you
    wouldn't choose Hawaii. But have you ever been thereto Pearl Harbor?"
    Celia shook her head. "My mother never wanted to go andthough I'm not sure
    why-I'm not ready yet." She paused before continuing. "I'm told you can get
    close to where the Arizona sank, and look down and see the ship, though
    they were never able to raise it. You'll think this strange, Andrew, but
    one day I'd like to go to where my father died, though not alone. I'd like
    to take my children."
    There was a silence, then Andrew said, "No, I don't think it's strange at
    all. And I'll make you a promise. One day, when we have our children and
    they can understand, then I'll arrange it."
    On another day, in a leaky, weatherbeaten dinghy, while Andrew struggled
    inexpertly with the oars, they talked about Celia's work.
    "I always thought," he commented, "that drug company detail men were
    always, well, men."
    "Don't go too far from shore. I've a feeling this wreck is about to sink,"
    Celia said. "Yes, you're right-mostly men, though there are a few women;
    some were military nurses. But I'm the first, and still the only, detail
    woman at Felding-Roth."
    "That's an achievement. How did you manage it?"
    "Deviously."
    In 1952, Celia reminisced, she graduated from Penn State College with a
    B.S. in chemistry. She had financed her way through
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college in part with a scholarship and partly from working nights and
    weekends in a drugstore.
    "The drugstore time-passing out prescription drugs with one hand and hair
    rollers or deodorant with the other-taught me a lot that proved useful
    later. Oh yes, and sometimes I sold from under the counter too."
    She explained.
    Men, mostly young, would come into the store and loiter uneasily, trying
    to get the attention of the male druggist. Celia always recognized the
    signs. She would ask, "Can I help you?" to which the reply was usually,
    "When will he be free?"
    "If you want condoms," Celia would say sweetly, "we have a good
    selection." She would then bring various brands from under the counter,
    piling the boxes on top. The men, red-faced, would make their purchases
    and hurriedly leave.
    Occasionally someone brash would ask if Celia would help him try the
    product out. To which she had a stock answer. "All right. Whenever you
    say. I think I'm over my syphilis by now." While some may have