Eighteen

crying out, "For the love of God! If you run any slower, you're a dead man!"

Joshua couldn't run any faster. He was an emaciated 57 year old Jew with the remains of his left lung and a kidney ready to shut down should anyone of authority give the word. His heart threatened to rupture, even at this shambling pace, sweat as he had not seen in 30 years drenched his forehead, and spots of light kept flashing in and out of his field of vision. He was a dead man.

Dash pulled to a stop once he saw his boss ready to keel over. Rolling his eyes, hands on his hips, he hurried back to save his life. Grabbing Joshua, he hoisted him up into a fireman's carry, and trotted off through the field.

Coming upon an enormous chestnut tree, Dash grabbed the lowest branch and nimbly gamboled up to the higher ones, Joshua no more bother than a winter scarf. He finally came to light on a wide horizontal branch, barely winded. He looked quite proud of himself, and his face showed his glee.

"Well," he beamed, "At least bears don't climb trees!"

Seventeen

Frederick M. Spalding...why now, of all the times, would that name choose to enter my head? At the top of the Empire State Building in mid-January, no shoes, an appreciable bulge in my left jean jacket pocket (it's so freakin' cold up here!) and a bright yellow umbrella bearing a rather large burn hole near the edge? I feel I've led a good life; I've looked after my friends, been kind to animals, and never killed a soul. That should earn me a little...I don't know...leeway? Maybe...I was never very eloquent in our Mother Tongue. Tongue. Now there's a weird word. Jesus! I think I've lost the feeling in my pinkie toe.

I'm outta here.

But no, I had promised. Me and my stinkin' promises! I wish I could be like the people I'd hidden away from for all those decades. People like...Frederick M. Spalding. Frederick M. Spalding. He is not smiling. His face is smooth behind the oversize glasses. Can you hear me, Frederick? Can you hear me in your dreams forty years ago? Can you hear me whispering in your ear?



GodDAMN, it's cold.