nancy looks at me for a good twenty seconds before she seems satisfied with my answer . at last it was safe enough to concentrate on this burning question : do the birds wake and sing before or after sunrise ? so the secret to collect more taxes is to actually tax people less ? at least not to the life he 'd known with his ex . `` i 'm meeting him at the restaurant , '' i answer , ignoring her disappointment . head still bowed , he put up a hand again , telling me to wait . 