Authors: Jean Bedford
I
packe
d
a
plasti
c
ha
g
wit
h
som
e
o
f
Tom’
s
othe
r
thing
s—a
nightdres
s
I’
d
bough
t
hi
m,
som
e
femal
e
underwea
r—
an
d
too
k
i
t
downstair
s,
wit
h
a
chang
e
o
f
clothe
s
fo
r
mysel
f
i
n
a
bundl
e.I
woul
d
hav
e
t
o
wai
t
a
bi
t
longe
r,
unti
l
I
wa
s
sur
e
i
t
wa
s
to
o
lat
e
fo
r
anyon
e
t
o
rin
g
an
d
fin
d
m
e
no
t
ther
e,
an
d
tha
t
m
y
neighbour
s
wer
e
aslee
p,
thoug
h
the
y
wer
e
use
d
t
o
m
y
occasiona
l
coming
s
an
d
going
s
a
t
nigh
t,
an
d
the
y
al
l
kne
w
I
wa
s
o
n
cal
l
a
t
th
e
clini
c
.
Whe
n
i
t
wa
s
tim
e,I
hal
f
carrie
d
To
m
ou
t
throug
h
th
e
doo
r
fro
m
th
e
hous
e
t
o
th
e
garag
e.
H
e
wa
s
stil
l
capabl
e
o
f
takin
g
a
fe
w
step
s
b
y
himsel
f
ever
y
no
w
an
d
the
n,
bu
t
I’v
e
alway
s
bee
n
physicall
y
stron
g;
nurse
s
hav
e
t
o
b
e.I
pu
t
hi
m
o
n
th
e
floo
r
i
n
th
e
corne
r
an
d
covere
d
hi
m
wit
h
a
blanke
t
.
Bac
k
insid
e
th
e
hous
e
I
ha
d
anothe
r
drin
k.I
woul
d
hav
e
t
o
rewrit
e
th
e
suicid
e
lette
r,
mak
e
som
e
referenc
e
t
o
Padd
y.I
di
d
tha
t
quickl
y,
glove
d
u
p,
o
n
Tom’
s
compute
r
still i
n
th
e
spar
e
roo
m.
He’
d
onl
y
take
n
hi
s
lapto
p
whe
n
h
e
move
d
ou
t.I
type
d
Mick’
s
nam
e
ont
o
a
stampe
d
envelop
e
an
d
tucke
d
th
e
lette
r
insid
e
th
e
fla
p.I
too
k
i
t
downstair
s
an
d
pu
t
i
t
o
n
th
e
kitche
n
tabl
e.I
soake
d
th
e
firs
t
versio
n
I
ha
d
writte
n
day
s
befor
e
i
n
ho
t
wate
r
fro
m
th
e
sin
k
unti
l
i
t
wa
s
a
mas
s
o
f
pul
p
an
d
thre
w
i
t
i
n
th
e
bi
n.
The
n
I
force
d
mysel
f
t
o
si
t
dow
n
an
d
thin
k
i
t
al
l
throug
h
agai
n,
s
o
tha
t
I
woul
d
no
t
forge
t
anythin
g
.
Finall
y
i
t
wa
s
lat
e
enoug
h.I
plastere
d
mak
e-
u
p
o
n
m
y
fac
e
an
d
pu
t
fres
h
glove
s
o
n
befor
e
I
picke
d
u
p
th
e
lette
r.I
too
k
i
t
ou
t
t
o
th
e
garag
e
an
d
presse
d
Tom’
s
war
m
finger
s
t
o
th
e
shee
t
o
f
pape
r
an
d
th
e
envelop
e
i
n
th
e
appropriat
e
place
s.I
use
d
hi
s
tongu
e
t
o
moiste
n
th
e
sea
l
.
I
activate
d
th
e
door
s
an
d
backe
d
m
y
ca
r
ou
t
ont
o
th
e
stree
t.I
drov
e
Tom’
s
ca
r
int
o
th
e
garag
e
i
n
it
s
plac
e.I
heave
d
hi
m
ont
o
th
e
floo
r
i
n
th
e
bac
k
an
d
pu
t
th
e
blanke
t
ove
r
hi
m
agai
n.
H
e
moane
d
faintl
y
an
d
the
n
wa
s
stil
l.I
ha
d
alread
y
pu
t
th
e
ke
y
i
n
th
e
ignitio
n
whe
n
I
remembere
d
th
e
mak
e-
u
p
.
I
ra
n
insid
e
an
d
picke
d
u
p
lipstic
k,
liqui
d
bas
e,
powde
r,
eyeline
r,
al
l
I
neede
d,
al
l
Tom’
s,
al
l
wit
h
hi
s
trace
s
ingraine
d
i
n
the
m.I
caugh
t
sigh
t
o
f
th
e
ope
n
whisk
y
bottl
e—I
woul
d
nee
d
tha
t
to
o.I
shove
d
i
t
al
l
int
o
th
e
ba
g
.