Крестный отец

           Heputonthesameonehehadusedduringtheday.Hecalledthefuneralparlorandtoldhisassistanttostaywiththebereavedfamilyusingthefrontparlorthatnight.Hehimselfwouldbebusyinthelaboratoryworkingareaofthebuilding.WhentheassistantstartedaskingquestionBoneseracuthimoffverycurtlyandtoldhimtofollowordersexactly.

           Heputonhissuitjacketandhiswife,stilleating,lookedupathiminsurprise."Ihaveworktodo,"hesaidandshedidnotdarequestionhimbecauseofthelookonhisface.Bonaserawentoutofthehouseandwalkedthefewblockstohisfuneralparlor.

           Thisbuildingstoodbyitselfonalargelotwithawhitepicketfencerunningallaroundit.Therewasanarrowroadwayleadingfromthestreettotherear,justwideenoughforambulancesandhearses.Bonaseraunlockedthegateandleftitopen.Thenhewalkedtotherearofthebuildingandentereditthroughthewidedoorthere.Ashedidsohecouldseemournersalreadyenteringthefrontdoorofthefuneralparlortopaytheirrespectstothecurrentcorpse.

           ManyyearsagowhenBonasgrahadboughtthisbuildingfromanundertakerplanningtoretire,therehadbeenastoopofabouttenstepsthatmournershadtomountbeforeenteringthefuneralparlor.Thishadposedaproblem.Oldandcrippledmournersdeterminedtopaytheirrespectshadfoundthestepsalmostimpossibletomount,sotheformerundertakerhadusedthefreightelevatorforthesepeople,asmallmetalplatform,thatroseoutofthegroundbesidethebuilding.