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My voice wavered
and the words doubled, as if the word water from
my mouth had summoned some in my eyesI looked up
and said, "Pardon meWireman
looked concerned, but Elizabeth Eastlake was
smiling at me with an expression of perfect
understanding
"That's all right, Edgar," she said"Poetry
sometimes does that to me, as wellHonest feeling
is nothing to be ashamed ofMen do not sham
convulsion
"Nor simulate a throe," I addedMy voice seemed
to be coming from someone else
271
She smiled brilliantly"The man knows his
Dickinson, Wireman!"
"Seems to," Wireman agreedHe was replica cartier tank watches watching me
closely
"Will you finish, Edward?"
"Yes, ma'am
"I wouldn't want to be faster
or greener than now if you were with me O you
were the best of all my days"What were the best of all your days,
Edgar?"
"Maybe these," I said"Then I'll hope, tooOne is always
allowed to hopeAnd Edgar?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Let me be Elizabeth to youI can't stand being a
ma'am at this end of my lifeDo we understand
each other?"
I nodded"I think we do, Elizabeth
She smiled, and the tears that had been in her own
eyes fellThe cheeks they landed on were old and
272
ruined with wrinkles, but the chanel tote handbags eyes were young
v
Ten minutes later, Wireman and I were standing at
the end of the Palacio boardwalk againHe had
left the lady of the house with a slice of key
lime pie, a glass of tea, and the remote control
I had two of Wireman's egg salad sandwiches in a
bagHe said they'd just go stale if I didn't take
them home, and he didn't have to press me too hard
I also hit him up for a couple of aspirin
"Look," he said, "I'm sorry about thatI was
going to ask first, believe me
He nodded but didn't look directly at meHe was
looking out at the Gulf"I just want you to know
I didn't chanel j10 watch fake promise her anythingSo she makes assumptions the way
kids do, based on what she wants rather than on
the facts
"And what she wants is to be read to
273
"Poems on tapes and compact discs don't cut it?"
"NopeShe says the difference between recorded
and live is like the difference between canned
mushrooms and fresh ones He smiled, but still
wouldn't look at me
"Why don't you read to her, Wireman?"
Still looking out at the water, he said: "Because
I no longer canwhy not?"
He considered this, then shook his headWireman's tired, muchacho, and she'll be up
in the nightUp and tiffany's jewelry argumentative, full of rue
and confusion, liable to think she's in London or
St
"Will you tell me another day?"
"Yeah He sighed through his nose"If you can
show yours, I suppose I can show mine, although I
don't relish itAre you sure you're okay to get
back on your own?"
"Absolutely," I said, although my hip was
throbbing like a big motor
"I'd run you in the golf cart, I really would, but
when she's this way - DrWireman's clinical term
for it is Bright Going On Stupid - she's apt to
274
take it into her mind to wash the windowsor
dust some shelvesor go for a walk without tiffany and co earrings her
wal
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