feeling better. I took a nap earlier. What’re you up to?” “I got bored at home. Are you leaving?” She moved, as if to step aside.
“No, no. I just needed a little air.” I nodded back at the Inn.
“You sound like a hunted man.” “Well, maybe hounded a little. People are curious think I have all the answers.” She laughed. “You’re kind of famous around here, ‘cause of that Ski Mask case in Brattleboro.
Buster’s got a scrapbook of everything you’ve done.” “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. I know you fought in Korea and got a bunch of medals, and that you went to college at Berkeley for a while… He’s got your letters stuck in there, too.” “And you’ve read them.” She was suddenly quiet, obviously embarrassed. “I don’t mind.” Her voice was muted. “You sure?” “Hell, I wrote ‘em to be read.” I had settled on the fender of a parked car. Now she joined me.
“You spend a lot of time with Buster?” She nodded. “Why?” She took her time before answering. I felt she was deciding there to trust me or not, whether to respond with a social nicety or eveal something quite personal. “He helped me when I was in able.” That was about as much as Buster had told me. Still, her admission an obvious token of friendship, the sharing of an intimacy. “I’m a recovering alcoholic.
Buster was the only one who figured t. Or maybe he was just the only one who cared.” I remained silent.
“That was about three years ago.” “How did he and you get together?” She smiled and shook her head. “Oh, you know how he is at the ge; it’s almost like he holds court there sometimes. And a lot of the he hires have had problems. I don’t guess they’re real good meics.”
I laughed at that. Buster’s employees were notorious for putting in the wrong holes, or the wrong-sized tires on cars. She was it was less a garage than a halfway house. “Anyway, I used to pull in there for gas or an oil change or tever, so we got to know each other over time; he’s real easy to talk first, it was just general stuff-who’re your folks, what’s your job. ned out he used to know my grandpa pretty well in the old days; ess they used to go hunting together. But he found out a lot more ut me pretty quick; it’s not like he asks much, you know? You just up telling him everything.” She laughed suddenly. “At least I did-real blabbermouth. AnyI got busted for DWI once; I don’t know how he found out about guess everybody finds out that kind of stuff in a small town like sooner or later. But they usually don’t say anything. He was rent. I pulled in there for gas one day, and he asked me to get out have a Coke with him, and that’s how it began.” “Did he get you into AA or something?” “No, it was just the two of us. We talked a lot; spent a lot of time there. I’d cook for him or I’d hang out at the garage.
Somehow he me out of it-out of depending on the booze.” “Must have had its moments, especially seeing him drink like a She looked straight at me, her face fresh and open. “That was one of the amazing things about it, though. He got me to focus enough on me that it didn’t matter that he drank. He did that for his reasons, and they had nothing to do with me. At least that’s how I ended up seeing it. I guess at first that bothered me some. But he’s a wonderful man. Not everyone seems to know that.” A small pause grew. I was worried it might present a pretense for ending the conversation.
“So you have family here.” “Oh, sure. I’m a local girl, well, kind of-from East Haven. My husband’s family is from here, though.” “Was that who picked you up this morning?” “Yeah. Tommy.” Her tone was not endearing. “Problems?” It was none of my business, but professional habits are hard to break.
“Well… I don’t know. He’s a nice man. It’s just… Maybe I’m not cut out for marriage. Buster makes it sound good when he talks about his wife… or when he
“No, no. I just needed a little air.” I nodded back at the Inn.
“You sound like a hunted man.” “Well, maybe hounded a little. People are curious think I have all the answers.” She laughed. “You’re kind of famous around here, ‘cause of that Ski Mask case in Brattleboro.
Buster’s got a scrapbook of everything you’ve done.” “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. I know you fought in Korea and got a bunch of medals, and that you went to college at Berkeley for a while… He’s got your letters stuck in there, too.” “And you’ve read them.” She was suddenly quiet, obviously embarrassed. “I don’t mind.” Her voice was muted. “You sure?” “Hell, I wrote ‘em to be read.” I had settled on the fender of a parked car. Now she joined me.
“You spend a lot of time with Buster?” She nodded. “Why?” She took her time before answering. I felt she was deciding there to trust me or not, whether to respond with a social nicety or eveal something quite personal. “He helped me when I was in able.” That was about as much as Buster had told me. Still, her admission an obvious token of friendship, the sharing of an intimacy. “I’m a recovering alcoholic.
Buster was the only one who figured t. Or maybe he was just the only one who cared.” I remained silent.
“That was about three years ago.” “How did he and you get together?” She smiled and shook her head. “Oh, you know how he is at the ge; it’s almost like he holds court there sometimes. And a lot of the he hires have had problems. I don’t guess they’re real good meics.”
I laughed at that. Buster’s employees were notorious for putting in the wrong holes, or the wrong-sized tires on cars. She was it was less a garage than a halfway house. “Anyway, I used to pull in there for gas or an oil change or tever, so we got to know each other over time; he’s real easy to talk first, it was just general stuff-who’re your folks, what’s your job. ned out he used to know my grandpa pretty well in the old days; ess they used to go hunting together. But he found out a lot more ut me pretty quick; it’s not like he asks much, you know? You just up telling him everything.” She laughed suddenly. “At least I did-real blabbermouth. AnyI got busted for DWI once; I don’t know how he found out about guess everybody finds out that kind of stuff in a small town like sooner or later. But they usually don’t say anything. He was rent. I pulled in there for gas one day, and he asked me to get out have a Coke with him, and that’s how it began.” “Did he get you into AA or something?” “No, it was just the two of us. We talked a lot; spent a lot of time there. I’d cook for him or I’d hang out at the garage.
Somehow he me out of it-out of depending on the booze.” “Must have had its moments, especially seeing him drink like a She looked straight at me, her face fresh and open. “That was one of the amazing things about it, though. He got me to focus enough on me that it didn’t matter that he drank. He did that for his reasons, and they had nothing to do with me. At least that’s how I ended up seeing it. I guess at first that bothered me some. But he’s a wonderful man. Not everyone seems to know that.” A small pause grew. I was worried it might present a pretense for ending the conversation.
“So you have family here.” “Oh, sure. I’m a local girl, well, kind of-from East Haven. My husband’s family is from here, though.” “Was that who picked you up this morning?” “Yeah. Tommy.” Her tone was not endearing. “Problems?” It was none of my business, but professional habits are hard to break.
“Well… I don’t know. He’s a nice man. It’s just… Maybe I’m not cut out for marriage. Buster makes it sound good when he talks about his wife… or when he
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