We fell silent. His radio spun combinations: news, country, rock, something Perry Comoish. Finally came to rest on what sounded like an adaptation of Karel Capek's R.U.R. Back a few years, I listened to programs like that every night. Still remembered one about this doctor treating lepers on an isolated island, trying to atone for wrongs he's done. I'd fallen asleep halfway through and, three in the morning, still half drunk, woke to its conclusion, when a ship comes to retrieve the doctor and he sees in the faces of its crew that he's become a leper.
'Ray Amano,' Gardner said.
Behind him on the radio someone said 'You've cleared this with the family, I assume,' someone else 'But he is long dead, in the war.'
'Just a moment. Let me jot this down. There. For a project of mine, images of war in popular culture.' The radio shut off. Gardner's voice seemed of a sudden eerily loud. 'I'm afraid that I don't represent Mr. Amano anymore. Or publish him, for that matter.'
When he stopped speaking, static rushed in tofill the quiet.
I waited.
'I do know he's still not been heard from. Kid name of Gilden's editing an edition of Bury All Towers for one of those subscriber-only paperback clubs, talking about doing others. He's called me up a couple of times. The Hollywood interest is long gone, of course.'
'Can't be too long gone. Everybody in such a hurry to let go?'
'It's been almost two months. Burners cool quickly in this business, Mr. Griffin.'
'You could have told me,' I said.
'I did tell you, Lew. I told you, the doctors told you, LaVerne told you, Hosie told you. We told you two or three hundred times. Every other way, you were fine, but you just couldn't hold on to time. Time passed right through you, left nothing behind. Doctors say it's the kind of thing that can happen with concussion, severe trauma-or with hypoxia. One of the rounds nicked your femoral artery, Lew, you remember that? You'd bled out pretty bad by the time the paramedics got there.'
'Of course I remember.' Remembered them telling me about it, anyway.
'Physically, you were well enough to be released some time back.'
'But it's only been a few days, a week at the most. I know that.'
'That's how it seems, Lew. To you-which is precisely the problem.'
I'd been Doo-Wopped. Every day was today. I was on Hopi Mean Time.
'Doctors held off discharging you because of that. They say usually the sensorium rights itself, gets back on track without much help from diem. Just a matter of time.
Or in the case of hypoxia, other parts of the brain learn to take over.'
'Or maybe they don't.'
'Yeah,' Don said. 'Maybe.'
After a moment I tripped the call bell. Cindy responded.
'I'm leaving, Cindy. Any paperwork has to be signed, they need to get it up here.'
'Head nurse'll flip out over this, Mr. Griffin.' Her tone suggested that this was not an altogether unwelcome prospect. 'Course, she flips out over almost anything.'
'Closet's to your right, about five paces,' Don said once Cindy was gone.
I found it and fumbled the door open, one of those push hard and let go affairs. 'Anything in there?'
'Ten or twelve empty hangers. Clothes-T-shirts, jeans-folded and stacked on the shelf above, to the left. Socks and underwear right.'
'Thanks, Don. I don't suppose there'd be a suitcase, anything like that?'
'Matter of fact there is. Same shelf, far right. I brought one up a couple of days ago. Had a feeling you might be needing it soon.'
Within moments clothes were stowed away. Retrieving razor, shaving cream, toothbrush and toothpaste from the phonebooth-size bathroom-not to mention a fifth of Scotch Hosie had smuggled in-I threw them into Don's suitcase and zipped it shut. The suitcase bumped against my leg as I started for the door and walked into the corner of the nightstand. I'd go on collecting bruises for some time.
'Nothing fair about any of it, is there, Don?'
'You ever thought any different?'
At which point Head Nurse pushed imperiously in to begin reciting the litany of reasons I could not, absolutely could not, leave.
'Probably shouldn't block the door,' Don said. 'And I'd stand back if I were you. I know this man.'
She ignored him. 'You insist on this, I'll be forced to call Security.'
Her beeper went off. She ignored that as well.
'Call whomever you want. But you'd be well advised to call your administrator first, to check on legalities.'
Exasperated: 'It's five in the morning.'
'Hey, he'll appreciate it. Let him get an early start.'
She swung about and fairly steamed out of port.
Hand against my elbow, Don guided me to the door without seeming to do so.
'What do you think, Lew? Deal with paperwork later?'
'Man after my own heart.'
We went down halls smelling of disinfectant, defecation and despair. Stood in a kind of lobby area, voices all a jumble, waiting for the elevator. 'Take care, Mr. Griffin,' Cindy said as the doors closed. I hadn't known until then that she was there.
'Heading for LaVerne's, I assume,' Don said.
'Ifshe'llhaveme.'
Elevator doors whispered open.
'Oh, she'll have you, all right. Fact is, we shut down your apartment, hope that's okay. Your things are in my garage. Didn't think you should be alone-for a while, at least. You okay, Lew?'
'Fine.'
'Car's just over diere.'
His trusty Electra, Don took the suitcase from me, stashed it in the trunk among jugs of water, half a case of oil, jumper cables, medical kit, sheathed shotgun, as I climbed in the passenger door.
He fired up the car and let it idle. Punched in the lighter.
'Always room at my place for you, Lew, things don't work out.'
I nodded.
He lit his Winston, which smelled like burning twigs, and eased the Buick around and down, past the pay booth, onto Prytania, then right towards the river.
'Scenic route, huh?'
He grunted.
'Kind of wasted on me.'
'I doubt it Besides, the air's better over here.'
We planed slowly along the curve of riverand road. The occasional car passed. This is our new Chevy Occasional, sir. As fine a car as you'll find anywhere. Twice within a single block we bucked across railroad tracks. Then things grew quiet. Don and Lewis in the forests of night. Keeping order here at the edge of civilized space.
'Guess I'll have to find this Dana Esmay person.'
A block or two later he responded.
'Yeah. Figured that's what we might be doing. Already penciled it in on my calendar.'
Dawn broke about us as I cranked down the window and felt fresh air cascade over my face. Always new beginnings. Something in the backseat, a hat, a plastic cup, went airborne in the sudden tide and flew against a door.
'Whatever works,' LaVerne would say years later in similar circumstances. 'You wait and see.'
So you do.
