was funny. And compounding her guilt, she thought longingly at that moment of the hitchhiker, of Wolfie.
Sally relieved the silence by asking if Linda was married. She had introduced Robin by name only. Stepdaughter sounded like a wicked designation, and didn’t even seem true. When Linda said that she was a widow, Sally was awestruck. She said that Linda was the first widow from their graduating class as far as she knew, although a couple of people besides Bobby were dead. Linda tried to change the subject, looking significantly at Robin, but Sally was into a roll call of fatalities: “Joan Kowalski, leukemia, Artie Hammond, auto wreck, Catherine Johnson, illegal abortion. The family let out that it was pneumonia,” Sally said. “But nobody dies of pneumonia any more.”
Linda felt weak. She could see no real potential for intimacy here, and she wanted to leave. Before she could say anything, the baby began to cry, and Sally looked at her watch. “Oh, terrific,” she said. “What timing. Look, could you do me a favor and feed it? I have to make a few phone calls.” She stood and swooped over the playpen, coming up with the baby, who had worked itself into a screaming rage by then. Sally dumped it into Linda’s lap and went to get the bottle. Bambi appeared suddenly and dug her little fingers into Linda’s arm, and then more fiercely into the baby’s. The screaming elevated in pitch as Sally came back. “I’ll break your neck, Bambi,” she said wearily, without affect, and gave the bottle to Linda, who offered it to the baby.
It was as abrupt and easy as shutting off a radio. Thebaby stopped crying instantly. It pulled at the nipple with savage concentration and made a frantic effort to breathe through its clogged nose at the same time. Bambi made faces and jeering noises and went out again. Linda could hear Sally dialing in the next room. “Hello,” she said. “Is this Mrs. Alexander? Hi! I’m doing a survey for the Best Brand Home Improvement Corporation? We’re calling people in your area to see if they have proper insul—” Sally dialed again. “Hello. Is this Mrs. Allman? Hi! I’m doing a survey for the Best—” She slammed the phone down. “And the same to you, bitch!” she said, and started dialing again. No wonder the line had been so busy when Linda tried to call from New Carlisle.
The baby’s head wobbled against Linda’s arm. She couldn’t believe how heavy it was, compared to the rest of the body; like the surprising weight of a beanbag. This one looked like Rod, poor thing. Still, it had a kind of beauty. The clarity of eye, the poreless texture of skin. It squirmed in her lap and siphoned the milk with a steady hard sucking. It was amazing and terrible.
Linda pulled the front of the diaper away and tried to peer inside. There was a dark smelly mess in there and she replaced the diaper quickly without determining the baby’s sex. Whatever it was, she was glad it wasn’t hers.
Sally came back into the room and took the baby from Linda’s arms. She handled it roughly, distractedly, as if it wasn’t hers, either.
Linda and Robin stood at the same time. “This was really great, Sally,” Linda said. “Like old times.”
“Wait till I tell Rod about you dropping in like this,” Sally said. “He’ll get a real kick out of it.”
He’ll probably shoot you, Linda thought.
“Listen, take care,” Sally said. “And keep in touch.”
Robin and Linda got into the car. “Cat got your tongue?” Linda asked. As she drove away, a handful of small pebbles scattered against the windshield, making her flinch. Bambi could be seen racing across the lawn and into the house.
13
I’m blue for you
Dear Iola,
I certainly am blue for you. We have been on the road for several days now. You won’t believe all the crazy things that have happened …
Just a little love note
Dear Iola,
As it says above, this is just a little love note to let you know that yours truly has not
Sally relieved the silence by asking if Linda was married. She had introduced Robin by name only. Stepdaughter sounded like a wicked designation, and didn’t even seem true. When Linda said that she was a widow, Sally was awestruck. She said that Linda was the first widow from their graduating class as far as she knew, although a couple of people besides Bobby were dead. Linda tried to change the subject, looking significantly at Robin, but Sally was into a roll call of fatalities: “Joan Kowalski, leukemia, Artie Hammond, auto wreck, Catherine Johnson, illegal abortion. The family let out that it was pneumonia,” Sally said. “But nobody dies of pneumonia any more.”
Linda felt weak. She could see no real potential for intimacy here, and she wanted to leave. Before she could say anything, the baby began to cry, and Sally looked at her watch. “Oh, terrific,” she said. “What timing. Look, could you do me a favor and feed it? I have to make a few phone calls.” She stood and swooped over the playpen, coming up with the baby, who had worked itself into a screaming rage by then. Sally dumped it into Linda’s lap and went to get the bottle. Bambi appeared suddenly and dug her little fingers into Linda’s arm, and then more fiercely into the baby’s. The screaming elevated in pitch as Sally came back. “I’ll break your neck, Bambi,” she said wearily, without affect, and gave the bottle to Linda, who offered it to the baby.
It was as abrupt and easy as shutting off a radio. Thebaby stopped crying instantly. It pulled at the nipple with savage concentration and made a frantic effort to breathe through its clogged nose at the same time. Bambi made faces and jeering noises and went out again. Linda could hear Sally dialing in the next room. “Hello,” she said. “Is this Mrs. Alexander? Hi! I’m doing a survey for the Best Brand Home Improvement Corporation? We’re calling people in your area to see if they have proper insul—” Sally dialed again. “Hello. Is this Mrs. Allman? Hi! I’m doing a survey for the Best—” She slammed the phone down. “And the same to you, bitch!” she said, and started dialing again. No wonder the line had been so busy when Linda tried to call from New Carlisle.
The baby’s head wobbled against Linda’s arm. She couldn’t believe how heavy it was, compared to the rest of the body; like the surprising weight of a beanbag. This one looked like Rod, poor thing. Still, it had a kind of beauty. The clarity of eye, the poreless texture of skin. It squirmed in her lap and siphoned the milk with a steady hard sucking. It was amazing and terrible.
Linda pulled the front of the diaper away and tried to peer inside. There was a dark smelly mess in there and she replaced the diaper quickly without determining the baby’s sex. Whatever it was, she was glad it wasn’t hers.
Sally came back into the room and took the baby from Linda’s arms. She handled it roughly, distractedly, as if it wasn’t hers, either.
Linda and Robin stood at the same time. “This was really great, Sally,” Linda said. “Like old times.”
“Wait till I tell Rod about you dropping in like this,” Sally said. “He’ll get a real kick out of it.”
He’ll probably shoot you, Linda thought.
“Listen, take care,” Sally said. “And keep in touch.”
Robin and Linda got into the car. “Cat got your tongue?” Linda asked. As she drove away, a handful of small pebbles scattered against the windshield, making her flinch. Bambi could be seen racing across the lawn and into the house.
13
I’m blue for you
Dear Iola,
I certainly am blue for you. We have been on the road for several days now. You won’t believe all the crazy things that have happened …
Just a little love note
Dear Iola,
As it says above, this is just a little love note to let you know that yours truly has not
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