— So who is she? said Pete.
Lee came out of the bathroom, patting his face with a towel.
— Her name’s Helen. She works at the Owl Cafe. I see her most days when I go for breakfast. I’m taking her to the Italian joint up near the town hall.
— The town hall?
— The library. Used to be the town hall. I keep forgetting how they went and changed everything around. Anyhow, the Italian joint.
— Aldo’s.
— That’s the one.
Pete looked at the clothes again.
— Okay, well, I think you’ll be good in these. We’re not in Paris or anything.
Lee started to dress. He lit a cigarette.
— Do you smoke?
— No, said Pete. I never really took to it.
— Fair enough … You look like you got something on your mind, Pete.
— I was wondering something. But I don’t know how to ask it.
— Why don’t you just ask it straight? You don’t have to talk careful around me.
— Well, have you ever really had a girlfriend before?
— What makes you think I don’t have hundreds of girlfriends all over the place?
— I guess-
— Relax. I’m just hassling you. It’s a pretty fair question, a guy like me who’s been locked up forever. When I was a young buck there was a girl in town I went with pretty regular. We might of got more serious if I never went up. Then there was a lady who wrote me letters for awhile, maybe six, seven years ago. A church group put us in touch and for awhile she wrote to talk about God.
Lee was grinning.
— What happened with her? said Pete.
— I guess you’re not so young I can’t say this-this lady wrote to me about God at first, and then she started sending me snapshots of herself in her underpants. She was a big gal. She was a big big gal. She sent me these kinds of sexy snapshots for awhile, and then she stopped.
— Just like that?
— Just like that. It was another couple months before I heard from her again. It wasn’t real surprising. She’d met a guy and she said she felt like God wanted them to get married. So that’s what they did. I don’t hold nothing against her.
— You didn’t see anybody when you were living in the city?
— I was conditional in the city. I had to go back to the house every night. But there was a girl I’d go see sometimes, at lunch or maybe in the afternoon … Anyhow, that was kind of a business deal. You know?
— For sure.
Lee buckled his belt and said: How about you? Are you Sylvester the Cat?
— Not really. There was one I just met. She was pretty interesting. She goes to another high school, so I didn’t know her before I quit. She plays the piano.
— Go show her a good time.
— It’s not like that. She’s … a friend. Maybe. That’s what I think it is. It’s not a problem. I’m not sticking around here much longer anyway.
Lee went back into the bathroom and ran a comb through his hair. He slapped on some more of the Aqua Velva.
— Think I look okay?
— Sure you do, said Pete. I’ll give you a ride up.
— You don’t need to do that.
— I don’t mind. I like driving. I’m cut out for a long road trip.
Outside, the clouds had dissolved and there was a bright quarter-moon some distance above the horizon. They got into Pete’s car and drove up to the restaurant. Not far away, up River Street, the limestone face of the library was lit by floodlights on the lawn. This was new. Across the street, Lee could see where his father’s general store used to be. It looked like it had been turned into a place that sold household appliances.
— See that place? said Lee.
— What, the place where they have the washing machines in the window?
— Yeah. That was the place where your granddad used to have his store. Right there. I remember sweeping up and mopping the floor when I was a little kid.
— Grandma doesn’t ever talk about him, said Pete.
— No, he’s been dead a long time. Most of my life. He worked way too hard, was his problem. Now look at what they got there. Washing machines and vacuum cleaners and TVs. I’ll tell you what, Pete. One of these days I’m going to walk in there and buy myself a TV.
— I thought you didn’t like TV, said Pete.
— I don’t. But I sure as hell like the idea of being able to walk into a store and buy one. One of these days. Hey, I’ll see you soon, buck.
Lee got out of the car.
— Lee …, said Pete.
Pete was holding something out. Lee looked more closely and saw that it was forty dollars.
— What’s this?
— I figured you might not have a credit card and maybe you don’t have a lot of cash on you. This isn’t the cheapest place.
— I don’t need your money, Pete.
— It’s, like, a loan. Pay me back later. It’s no problem.
Lee set his teeth together, shifted them side to side. But he lifted his hand and took the kid’s money.
Helen was already inside the restaurant, sitting at the bar, having a cigarette. She was wearing a dark jacket, a short skirt. She smiled as Lee walked up to her. Her lips were painted vivid red and her hair was puffed up big.
— It’s the lady who’s supposed to be fashionably late.
— You’re right, said Lee. Goddammit. I’m sorry.
She laughed and tapped ash off her cigarette. He looked at how her legs showed in the skirt.
— Don’t worry about it, Brown Eyes. Let’s sit.
They took a table by the window. The interior of the restaurant was candlelit and only a few of the tables were occupied. A steward came to show them the wine list and to ask them about drinks.
— I’ll have a Tom Collins, said Helen.
— For yourself, sir?
— Do you have Coca-Cola? said Lee.
— Yes, sir. We have Coca-Cola.
— That’s what I’d like, boss.
The steward left them.
— I quit drinking, said Lee.
— So, you have some self-discipline, said Helen.
— Maybe I just wouldn’t know what kind of fancy drink you’d get here.
— Never mind these guys. It’s all for show. I’m sure I saw that same waiter at the mall in a pair of sweatpants.
They studied their menus. She made quiet hmms of consideration. Finally Lee put the menu down and pushed it away.
— What’re you smiling at?
— Nothing, said Lee.
— Tell me.
