Stranger in a Strange Land

Patty was not trying to be provocative.
                He compromised by leaving on jockey shorts and hung his other clothes in the foyer. As he did so, he noticed a sign printed on the inside of the door through which he had entered: "Did You Remember to Dress?"
                He decided that, in this odd household, this gentle warning might be necessary if any were absent-minded. Then he saw something else that he had missed on coming in, his attention earlier having been seized by the sight of Patty herself. On each side of the door was a large bowl, as gross as a bushel basket-and each was tilled with money.
                More than filled- Federation notes of various denominations spilled out on the floor.
                He was staring at this improbability when Patricia returned. "Here's your drink, Brother Ben. Grow close in Happiness."
                "Uh, thanks." His eyes returned to the money.
                She followed his glance. "You must think I'm a sloppy housekeeper, Ben-and I am. Michael makes it so easy, most of the cleaning and such, that I forget" She squatted down, retrieved the money, stuffed it into the less crowded bowl.
                "Patty, why in the world?"
                "Oh. We keep it here because this door leads out to the street. Just for convenience. If one of us is leaving the Nest-and I do, myself, almost every day for grocery shopping-we are likely to need money. So we keep it where you won't forget to take some with you."
                "You mean ... just grab a handful and go?"
                "Why, of course, dear. Oh, I see what you mean. But there is never anyone here but us. No visitors, ever. If any of us have friends outside- and, of course, all of us do-there are plenty of nice rooms lower down, the ordinary Sort that outsiders are used to, where we can visit with them. This money isn't where it can tempt a weak person."
                "Huh! I'm pretty weak, myself!"
                She chuckled gently at his joke. "How can it tempt you when it's already yours? You're part of the Nest."
                "Uh ... I suppose so. But don't you worry about burglars?" He was trying to guess how much money one of those bowls contained. Most of the notes seemed to be larger than singles-hell, he could see one with three zeroes on it still on the floor, where Patty had missed it in her tidying up.
                "One did get in, just last week."
                "So? How much did he steal?"
                "Oh, he didn't. Michael sent him away."
                "Called the cops?"
                "Oh, no, no- Michael would never turn anybody over to the cops. I grok that would be a wrongness Michael just-" She shrugged. "-made him go away. Then Duke fixed the hole in the skylight in the garden room-did I show you that? It's lovely ... a grass floor. But I remember that you have a grass floor, Jill told me. That's where Michael first saw one. Is it grass all over? Every room?"
                "Just my living room."
                "If I ever get to Washington, can I walk on it? Lie down on it? Please?"
                "Of course, Patty. Uh, ..it's yours."
                "I know, dear. But it's not in the Nest, and Michael has taught us that it is good to ask, even when we know the answer is yes. I'll lie on it and feel the grass against me and be filled with Happiness to be in my brother's 'little nest.'
                "You'll be most welcome, Patty." Ben reminded himself sharply that he didn't give a hoot in hell what his neighbors thought-but he hoped she would leave her snakes behind. "When will you be there?"
                "I don't know. When waiting is filled. Maybe Michael knows."
                "Well, warn me if you can, so I'll be in town. If not, Jill always knows the code for my door-I change it occasionally. Patty, doesn't anybody keep track of this money?"
                "What for, Ben?"
                "Uh, people usually do."
                "Well, we don't. Just help yourself as you go out-then put back any you have left when you conic home, if you remember to. Michael told rue to keep the grouch bag filled. If it runs low I get some more from him."
                Ben dropped the matter, stonkered by the simplicity of the