After lunch we lay in the shade of palm trees or did some desultory snorkeling.
After dark, we lay on a trampoline and gazed at the starlit sky, wondering where the ceiling was.
After dinner we lay by the fire on piles of cushions drinking single malt whisky, our host telling us the stories of his land: secret maps leading to buried treasure; a golden phoenix; UFOs; a recently excavated 10ft male skeleton.
At dawn after the battle, we lay becalmed to the east of the Isle of Canna or between that and Isle Eriska in the chain of the Long Island.
After the care, we lay her in bed with bedrails and lock the front door.
Then one night, after our words gave out, we lay facing each other on her small bed.
"We look after him, we lie for him, my husband and I. We've done our best since my sister died.
We had a system called "babysitting the crystals" which is where after we'd lay out a few inches of glue and apply the crystals, we'd have the sit there adjust every single crystal and watch to make sure they didn't slip down and spill over on top of each other.
After he busts his nut, we lie there.
Early one night, after we'd lain with the evening's women and were gathered around the radio in the courtyard half listening to the tail end of one of the President's speeches (rumba music, that was what we wanted, and "Rumba Ciudad" was due to come on at eight), Fruto heaved himself up from his chair and, addressing us all, growled, "I don't know about you, but I've had it.
"We really went after the best people we could lay our hands on," said Mr. Ahtisaari, who knew where to look because he also served as Under Secretary General for Administration and Managememt.
