the car hurtled on the 280
approaching Palo Alto
he didnt want to be in it
somehow his keys were
misplaced You must have set them down
elsewhere.
I never set them anywhere
else Always in the bamboo bowl in the
entrance
We’ll have to use mine. We need to
get going.
Ill drive
No.
I’ll drive.
They’re my keys.
I dont think its wise you drive
I don’t care what you think. We
need to go, now. they were meeting their
daughter at Stanford for an appointment that she really wanted them to be there
for I said now.
it was for their daughter hed risk anything for his daughter
the appointment went well the doctor commenced it saying it was wise they
ran the battery of preliminary tests they did the findings she noted would be a blueprintwere keen to what the odds
were of how things may or may not be realised
at its conclusion she said that
since there was nothing conspicuoustheir daughter hadnt complained of
any symptoms she would see her in another six months however if appearing symptomatic to please
contact her office she would be
available
their daughter was an Animal
Science major at Davis science was her
undergirding she would be vigilant it was also theirs they were Biology majors although neither had
found their way to a degree
they wanted to take her to lunch
after the appointment but she apologised she had to leave promptly to make an afternoon class
they walked her to her car they embraced her she was so thankful they made the three hour
drive to be there with her she brushed
tears out of her eyes You’ll never know
how important it was you were here. Thank you so very much.
they stepped aside wiping tears
from the corner of their eyes as she
backed out of the parking space
I LOVE YOU! she cried through her
open window her arm immediately up and
waving to them
they cried I LOVE YOU!! and then stood
in the aisle waving to hershe waving back until she disappeared around a
massive pylon that supported a circular ramp that wound down to the street
She could have had lunch with
us his wife said disgruntled
She has class
We came all this way for nothing.
We came all this way because she
asked if we would For the
appointment You said we would For the appointment Please dont make more out of it
Now I have to drive home.
I could drive if you rather so you can rest an . .
.
. They aren’t your keys, are they?
No
You misplaced your keys.
I didnt
You should admit when you’re wrong.
When Im wrong I admit it I didnt misplace my keys
So I took them?
Its only you and I at home Maybe a ghost lifted them
You’re a prick.
he wasnt going to have this fight
he shut up
There you go; nothing to say?
. . .
I’m driving. And that’s it.
an advantage of not driving and
particularly along the 280 south was to be able to appreciate the wide openness
of the highway beyond it to either side the redwoods the verdant stretches he hoped the appointment would be in San
Francisco he really enjoyed the long silver
shimmer of the Crystal Springs Reservoir however heading south there was a massive ornate temple on the west side
of the highway that stoked his architectural imagination and harped at his construction
expertise
exiting onto the 85 East his wife
said still an edge in
her voice Are you going to ride mute all
the way home?
No I wasnt going to have an argument in a public
parking structure
You misplaced your keys. Why
would I move them?
Why You might so you could drivebe in the drivers
seat Be in control
That’s not true.
If youre not in control you become upset I prefer you not drive because of the
prescriptions youre taking . .
. . Always my prescriptions. You think my doctor doesn't know what he’s doing . .
.
. What hes been doing for three years A
regime that by all accounts in books Ive read insist drugs be introduced for a
brief time then the patient is taken off
them to facilitate the determined psychiatric work
He knows . .
. . He doesnt He's shaking the insurance company down All he does is change
up your drugsMygawd change them outHow many different drugs are you taking
every day I dont know any longer Youre secretive
He's trying to save my life.
Your life In construction when a subcontractoryoure the
contractor when the subcontractor isnt doing the work you pay him to do you
replace him A psychiatrist is no
different He hasnt interviewed either me
or the kids . .
.
. I can speak for you, the three of you . .
. . NO You cant How dare you
How dare I?
YOU can only speak for youyou
ought to know that Your bright psychiatrist
should know that Three years!
they were moving fast through San
Jose proper well ahead of the three
oclock rush passing under cross street bridges between concrete abutments
I can speak for you and the
girls.
You cannot
I can.
Youre being dishonest if you
think you know our minds
Dishonest?
Yes I wouldnt dare speak for you or the girlstheyre young adults
Because you don’t know . .
. . You dont either If you think you do youre fooling yourselfyoure
being a fabulist
A liar?
You have no idea whats turning in
my head
You want to know what’s turning
in mind?
Not necessailynot right now Id rather you pay attention to the road
I’m thinking . . do you want to
die?
You wanna die right now?
she wasnt bluffing
she wanted to die
he didnt dare challenge her hand
he bit his lip
his lip bled
I can make that happen. I could
take us into any of these walls.
I might even survive.
You wouldn’t. Everyone knows you
don’t wear a seatbelt.
So.
Do you want to die?
I dont
Do you want to kill me
he rolled his window down and set
his arm on its edge he could hear the air
rushhear the tires spinning feel the air whip past the car tug at his arm
he relaxed
when something is out of your
control theres not a damn thing you can do about it
the ball was in her court
2348, Sunday,
2 12. 18
1407, Monday, 17 12.
18
