Communicating on All Levels 3/?

*The disclaimer and all information in part 1* A/N: The stair accidents described did actually happen. My great- grandmother lived on her farm until she was about 95. She had this set of stairs that were at about a 75-degree angle. I can't even begin to count the number of kids that fell down them. If you fell you just hoped to God that the door was open at the bottom, because while landing in the dining /living room was hard on the ego, hitting the door was hard on the rest of the body.

from part two:

"Well, while you were in the shower I went out and removed the fuel line from my namesake and hid it. So if you can't get my car keys and your car is blocked in by my car then I guess you two are just going to have to clear the air huh? " I can't help staring at Sarah for a moment before I start laughing. I've just been out maneuvered

Part three *Sarah Rabb's Farm Saturday Night*

I'm still chuckling when Sarah heads downstairs to the laundry room. She no sooner gets downstairs than Harm comes slamming back into the house. He comes into the kitchen.

"What's so funny Mac? " He's practically snarling at me.

"Us. Your Grandma out maneuvered both of us."

"What do you mean? "

"She let me put my car in the garage so it would be blocked in and I couldn't leave and earlier when she was outside she swiped the fuel line out of the Stearman."

"Well that explains why the plane won't start. Where is she? " He's so upset his face is the color of a stop sign. I don't think I've ever seen him like this. Harm usually has rock solid control.

"Laundry." That's all I manage to say before Harm's stalking over to the basement door.

"Grandma, I need my fuel line back." "Fine as soon as you and Mac sit and talk all this out I'll get it for you until then you're stuck here. We have enough food to last at least a month."

"Grandma, I have to be to work a week from Monday and Mac probably has to be back on Monday."

"Actually the admiral gave me two weeks leave."

"You're not helping Mac! Fine I guess I have no choice but to stay." Harm then stomps up the stairs and 10 seconds later we hear a door slam. Sarah looks at me.

"That went well. How about some dinner Mac? "

"That went well? How can you think that went well?"

"Harm's still in the house. He has been known to sleep in the barn. Let's eat."

"What about Harm?"

"If he gets hungry, he knows where the kitchen is. It's probably not a good idea to try to talk to him right now. Also if he comes charging down those stairs angry he might slip and fall." As she says this Sarah goes and props the door open at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, those look awfully steep."

"Harm's fallen down them a couple of times. The railing is high enough that once you start falling you can't catch yourself. The first time Harm fell down the stairs the door was closed and he hit it. Scared me half to death! Since then I've always made sure the door is propped open when he's here. He's landed on his six in the dining room a couple of times but he doesn't get hurt near as bad." I can't help chuckling at the image of 6'4" Harm sliding down the stairs and landing on his six in the dining room.

"Of course, maybe I should close the door and hope he does fall. That might be the easiest way to knock some sense into that thick skull of his." I can't help it, I burst out laughing. When I calm down Sarah and I sit and have a nice dinner. I then help her with clean up and the dishes. We keep the conversation light and easy until she heads to bed at 10:00 p.m.

I head to my room where I take out my laptop and play a little Monopoly Tycoon before settling down to sleep at 11p.m. I hear Harm heading down the stairs and tell him there's leftover chicken in the fridge. I'm asleep before he comes back upstairs.