[360] 15/9 come through, and receiving Norman’s Stan’s the finest care the private system can offer. are forces weaving “There throughout our lives. We can’t resist ’em. One day thinking life is sweet, you’re the next living on the street, you’re the next back. Some call it karma, you’re the different acts in any drama, or is it Jo lets him babble, luck?” just happy that getting better. he’s She brings him eggs, buys him a sweater, and lets him win at travel Scrabble. me, is house still “Tell grandpa’s there?” not going “Dad, it’s anywhere.” [361] 16/9 On the last ferry, drunken members of some acoustic band or choir sing on the prow as neon embers cascade into the fire. harbour’s One plucks a periodic chord as passengers lean overboard and listen to the windswept ballad. The bright night leaves their voices pallid and tentative; the churning motors drown half of every phrase or word, but no-one’s singing to be heard, and silent and attentive boaters find that these soothing scraps suffice to carry them away. nice. It’s [362] 17/9 Now everything that daylight throws at Glenn can have no ill effect, and everything Natasha knows about herself and self-respect suddenly seems to have no bearing on anything. both past caring. They’re Looking beyond their daily slog, their evening is an epilogue that takes up where the story ends. She says, think both “I we’re survivors.” think so “I too.” “Like deep-sea divers....” managed to avoid the “...Who’ve bends.” A glass of scotch, and life preserved again, and no-one else gets served. [363] 18/9 They know that one night, maybe soon,
[360] 15/9 Norman’s come through, and Stan’s receiving the finest care the private system can offer. “There are forces weaving throughout our lives. We can’t resist ’em. One day you’re thinking life is sweet, the next you’re living on the street, the next you’re back. Some call it karma, the different acts in any drama, or is it luck?” Jo lets him babble, just happy that he’s getting better. She brings him eggs, buys him a sweater, and lets him win at travel Scrabble. “Tell me, is grandpa’s house still there?” “Dad, it’s not going anywhere.” [361] 16/9 On the last ferry, drunken members of some acoustic band or choir sing on the prow as neon embers cascade into the harbour’s fire. One plucks a periodic chord as passengers lean overboard and listen to the windswept ballad. The bright night leaves their voices pallid and tentative; the churning motors drown half of every phrase or word, but no-one’s singing to be heard, and silent and attentive boaters find that these soothing scraps suffice to carry them away. It’s nice. [362] 17/9 Now everything that daylight throws at Glenn can have no ill effect, and everything Natasha knows about herself and self-respect suddenly seems to have no bearing on anything. They’re both past caring. Looking beyond their daily slog, their evening is an epilogue that takes up where the story ends. She says, “I think we’re both survivors.” “I think so too.” “Like deep-sea divers....” “...Who’ve managed to avoid the bends.” A glass of scotch, and life preserved again, and no-one else gets served. [363] 18/9 They know that one night, maybe soon,
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