Eventide - Kent Haruf [17]
I didn’t.
You told her I made those little kids fight.
I never told her anything.
Then how come I caught hell from her and Mr. Bradbury? Now I have to bring my mom to school tomorrow. Because of you.
DJ looked at him, then at the other boy. They were both watching him.
I’m going to kick your ass, the first boy said.
Yeah, how’d you like to get your ass kicked, the other one said. He gave a signal with his hand and a third boy came out from behind the tank, and they took turns shoving him until one of them grabbed him around the neck while the other two hit him in the head and sides, then they threw him down and held his face in the grass.
The first boy kicked him in the ribs. You lying sack of green shit. You better learn to keep your mouth shut.
Living with a old man.
Yeah. They probably fuck each other. The boy kicked him again. You been warned, he said, then they walked off toward downtown.
He lay in the grass looking at the spaced and orderly trees in the park and the clear sky through the trees. Blackbirds and starlings were pecking in the grass around him.
After a while he got up and went home. In the little dark house his grandfather was sitting in his rocking chair in the living room.
Is that you? he called.
Yes.
I thought I heard somebody out there.
It’s only me.
Come in here.
In a minute, he said.
What are you doing?
I’m not doing anything.
7
WHEN THE PHONE RANG IT WAS HALF-PAST SIX IN THE evening on a Saturday and Raymond got up from the kitchen table where he and Harold had been eating a supper of beef steak and pan-fried potatoes and took up the phone in the dining room where it hung on the wall on a long cord, and on the other end it was Victoria Roubideaux.
Well now, is that you? he said.
Yes. It’s me.
We just was finishing supper.
I hope I didn’t interrupt you. I could call later if you want.
You didn’t interrupt a thing. I’m just glad to hear from you.
How’s the weather there? she said.
Oh, you know. About like always this time of year. Starting to turn off cold at night but it’s still nice in the daytime. Most days it is.
He asked her how the weather was for her, there in Fort Collins next to the mountains, and she said it was dry and cold at night there too but that the days were still warm, and he said that was good, he was glad she was still getting some warm days. Then there was silence until she thought to say: What else is going on at home?
Well. Raymond looked out through the curtainless windows toward the barnlots and pens. We took those yearling steers into the sale barn last week.
The ones from over south?
That’s right.
Did you get your price?
Yes ma’am. Ninety-one seventy-five a hundredweight.
Isn’t that good. I’m glad.
It wasn’t too bad, he said. Well anyway, now how about you, honey? What’s going on up there?
She told him about her classes and professors and about an exam coming up. She told him one professor said albeit so often in his lectures that the students all counted the times.
Albeit? Raymond said. I don’t even know what that means.
Oh, it means something like although. Or even so. It doesn’t really mean anything. He’s just talking.
Huh, Raymond said. Well, I never heard of it. So have you been making any friends up there?
Not too many. I talk with this one girl some. And the apartment manager, she’s always around.
No young boys?
I’m too busy. I’m not interested anyway.
And how about my little girl. How’s Katie?
She’s fine. I put her in the university day care while I’m in class. I think she’s starting to get used to it. At least she doesn’t complain anymore.
Is she eating?
Not like at home.
Well. She needs to eat.
She misses you, Victoria said.
Well.
I miss you too, she said.
Do you, honey?
Every day. You and Harold both.
It isn’t the same around here, I can tell you. Far from it.
Are you all right? she said.
Oh yeah. We’re doing okay. But here, now I better put Harold on. I know he wants to say hello. And you take care of yourself now, honey. Will you do that?
You too, she said.
Harold came out from the kitchen and