Chasing the Bear

exact appeal of the swan boats had always escaped me, though I too felt it and had, upon occasion, gone for a ride with Susan.

We were quiet and I could feel her looking at me.

'What?' I said.

She smiled.

'I was just thinking how well I know you, and how close we are, and yet there are parts of you, parts of your life, that I know nothing about.'

'Like?' I said.

'Like what you were like as a kid; it's hard to imagine you as a kid.'

'Even though you have often suggested that I am still a kid, albeit overgrown?'

'That's different,' Susan said.

'Oh?'

'I simply can't picture you growing up out there in East Flub-a-dub.'

'Your geography has never been good,' I said.

'Where was it?' Susan said.

'West Flub-a-dub,' I said.

'I stand corrected,' she said. 'What was life like in West Flub-a-dub?'

'Where should I start, Doctor?'

'I know your mother died right before you were born by cesarean section. And I know you were raised by your father and your mother's two brothers.'

'We had a dog too,' I said.

'I think I knew that as well,' Susan said. 'Her name was Pearl, was it not, which is why we've named our dogs Pearl?'

'German shorthairs should be named Pearl,' I said. 'So what else would you like to know?'

'There must be more you can tell me than that,' Susan said.

'You think?' I said.

'I think,' Susan said. 'Talk about yourself.'

'My favorite topic,' I said. 'Anything special?'

'Tell me about what comes to your mind,' she said. 'That will sort of tell us what you think is important.'

'Wow,' I said. 'Being in love with a shrink is not easy.'

'But well worth the effort,' Susan said.

'Well,' I said.

Susan leaned back on the bench and waited.

Chapter 2

My father and my uncles were carpenters and shared a house. They all dated a lot, but my father never remarried, and my uncles didn't get married until I left the house. So for me growing up it was an all- male household except for a female pointer named Pearl.