For inspiring these stories, on the other hand, I want to thank Maria Walsh for "Speaking in Tongues"; Helen Stanton for "Oops"; Sharon Switzer and Claire Sykes for taking me on the trip to LA that lies behind "Baggage"; Helen Donoghue for the one in Belgium that led to "The Sanctuary of Hands" (and also Catherine Dhavernas for her conference on The Hand which was the story's occasion); Denis Donoghue for proposing I take a fresh look at Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in "Necessary Noise"; all my former housemates at Paradise Housing Co-operative in Cambridge for "The Welcome"; Wen Adams and Nairne Holtz for "Do They Know It's Christmas?"; and Emma our late great cat for "The Cost of Things."