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@@@@@And misting up a little, too v A day later, I went to Nokomis with Wireman to pick up a new sink-trap for the folks at 17 (sports car; shitty country music) and some plastic fencing at the hardware store for the Mean DogsWireman didn't need my help, and he certainly didn't need me limping around behind him in the Nokomis TruValue, but it was a crappy, rainy day, and I wanted to get off the islandWe had lunch at Ophelia's and argued about rock and roll, which made it a cheerful outingWhen I got back, the message light on my answering machine was blinking"Call me," she said, and hung up I did, but first - this feels like a confession, and a cowardly one, at that - I went online, surfed to that day's Minneapolis StarTribune, and 355 clicked on OBITUARIESI scrolled through the names quickly and made sure Thomas Riley wasn't one of them, knowing it proved nothing; he might have offed himself too late to make the morning line Sometimes she muted the phone and napped in the afternoon, in which case I'd get the answering machine and a little reprieve It was Pam herself, soft but not warm: "Hello "I suppose you were out sunning," she saidSnowing and as cold as a welldigger's belt-buckleIf Tom had been dead, we wouldn't be settling in for a little impromptu bitcharee "Actually, it's cold and rainy where I am," I saidI hope you catch bronchitisTom Riley stormed out of here this morning after calling me a meddlesome cunt and throwing a vase on the floor I suppose I should be glad he didn't throw it at meShe honked, then surprised me by laughingIt was bitter, but also 356 surprisingly good-humored"When do you suppose your strange ability to induce my tears runs out?" "Tell me what happened, Panda "And no more of thatCall me that again and I'm hanging upThen you can buzz Tom and ask him what happenedProbably that's what I ought to make you do, anywayIt would serve you rig