Зима тревоги нашей

           Icouldn’ttakethetime."

           "Havetoinabank.Youonlyloseonce.Allitneedsisawhisper."

           "Don’ttellmeyou’resuspicious."

           "It’saninstinct.Ifanything’sjustalittlebitoutofnorm,myalarmgoesoff."

           "Whatawaytolive!Youdon’treallymeanthat."

           "IguessIdon’t.Ijustthoughtifyou’dheardsomething,you’dtellme—thatis,ifitwasanyofmybusiness."

           "IthinkI’dtellanybodyanythingIknow.Maybethat’swhynobodyevertellsmeanything.Goinghome?"

           "No,IthinkI’llgoeatacrossthestreet."

           Iswitchedthefrontlightsoff."Mindcomingoutthroughthealley?Look,I’llmakesandwichesinthemorningbeforetherush.Oneham,onecheeseonryebread,lettuceandmayonnaise,right?Andaquartofmilk."

           "Yououghttoworkinabank,"hesaid.

           Iguesshewasn’tanylonelierthananybodyelsejustbecausehelivedalone.HeleftmeatthedooroftheForemasterandforamomentIwishedIcouldgowithhim.Ithoughthomemightbeamess.

           Anditwas.Maryhadplannedthetrip.OutnearMontaukPointthere’saduderanchwithallthefancyfixingsyouseeinwhattheycalladultWesterns.Thejokeisthatit’stheoldestworkingcattleranchinAmerica.ItwasacattleranchbeforeTexaswasdiscovered.FirstchartercamefromCharlesII.OriginallytheherdsthatsuppliedNewYorkgrazedthereandtheherdsmenweredrawnbylot,likejurors,forlimitedservice.Ofcoursenowit’sallsilverspursandcowboystuff,buttheredcattlestillgrazeonthemoors.