@@@@@ I believed what I'd seen upstairs, 51
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I believed what I'd seen upstairs, too
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"Come on," I muttered"Pick the motherfucker up
I didn't know what I'd say if he did, and didn't
careAll I wanted right then was to hear his
voice
I did, but on a recording"Hi, you've reached Tom
Riley," he said"My brother George and I are off
with our mother, on our annual cruise - it's
Nassau this yearWhat do you say, Mother?"
"That I'm a Bahama Mama!" said a cigarette-cracked
but undeniably cheerful voice
"That's right, she is," Tom resumed"We'll be
back February eighthIn the meantime, you can
leave a messagewhen, George?"
"At the zound of the zeep!" cried a male voiceOr you
can call my office He gave the number, and then
all three of them said "BON VOYAGE!"
I hung up without saying anythingIt hadn't
sounded like the outgoing message of a man
contemplating suicide, but of course he had been
with his nearest and dearest (the ones who, later
on, were most apt to say "He seemed fine"), and -
"Who says it's going to be suicide?" I asked the
empty roomand then looked around fearfully to
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make sure it was empty"Who says it might not be
an accident? Or even murder? Assuming it hasn't
happened already?"
But if it had already happened, someone would
probably have called meMaybe Bozie, but most
likely Pam This time telling the room"It's
suicide and it hasn't happened yet
I got up and crutched into the bedroomI'd been
using the crutch less lately, but I wanted it
tonight, indeed I did
My best girl was propped against the pillows on
the side of the bed that would have belonged to a
real woman, if I'd still had oneI sat down,
picked her up and looked into those big blue
peepers, so full of cartoon surprise: Ouuuu, you
nasty man! My Reba, who looked like Lucy Ricar
