i 'd had a feeling that was coming and knew there 'd be no way to fight it . she enjoyed few things in life , and riding was one of them . i 'd gone through a weird phase where i wore different-colored socks and refused to comb my hair and no one wanted to be my friend . no , she said , her tears having stopped . with everything else she had on her plate ? 'my mother threw us to the wolves a long time ago . this date with this woman whose life he had changed . 