Зима тревоги нашей

           Forgettingtoopenontimescaredme.That’slikedroppingyourhandkerchiefatthesceneofthemurder,oryourglasseslikethosewhat-you-callemsinChicago.Whatdoesthatmean?Whatcrime?Whatmurder?

           AtnoonImadefoursandwiches,cheeseandham,withlettuceandmayonnaise.Hamandcheese,hamandcheese—whenamanmarries,helivesinthetrees.ItooktwoofthesandwichesandabottleofCoketothebackdoorofthebankandhandedthemintoJoey-boy."Findthemistake?"

           "Notyet.Youknow,I’msoclosetoit,I’mblind."

           "WhynotlayofftillMonday?"

           "Can’t.Banksareascrewylot."

           "Sometimesifyoudon’tthinkaboutsomething,itcomestoyou."

           "Iknow.Thanksforthesandwiches."Helookedinsidetomakesuretherewaslettuceandmayonnaise.

           SaturdayafternoonbeforeEasterinthegrocerybusinessiswhatmyaugustandilliteratesonwouldcall"forthebirds."Buttwothingsdidhappenthatprovedtomeatleastthatsomedeep-downunderwaterchangewasgoingoninme.Imeanthatyesterday,oranyyesterdaybeforethat,Iwouldn’thavedonewhatIdid.It’slikelookingatwallpapersamples.IguessIhadunrolledanewpattern.

           ThefirstthingwasMarullocomingin.Hisarthritiswashurtinghimprettybad.Hekeptflexinghisarmslikeaweight-lifter.

           "Howitgoes?"

           "Slow,Alfio."Ihadnevercalledhimbyhisfirstnamebefore.

           "Nobodyintown—"

           "Ilikeitbetterwhenyoucallme‘kid.’"

           "Ithoughtyoudon’tlikeit."

           "IfindIdo,Alfio."

           "Everybodygoneaway."