Conversation wound down house and sold it to someone on as they ate. The rain stopped, the mainland. He didn’t ask. and started up again. Supper Hospitality also demanded the ended as the rain ebbed, and they cultivation of the skill of minding moved to the living room for one’s own business. This was coffee. especially true out here, where The rules of hospitality people had their reasons to flee forbade any conversation that the civilization of the mainland. would re-ignite the argument of After the coffee, Joe’s wife the afternoon. So they didn’t talk spoke up. show you where “I’ll about the mess that the world your bed is. We go to bed early was in, and they didn’t talk about out here.” the weather. Joe talked about his like the shore.” Geoff “Just family from Illinois and Geoff thought, following the lady up the talked about relatives down stairs. morrow would come ‘The south. He talked about the little soon enough. he knew about his wife’s current The morning dawned hot life after she had left him for a and sticky. Across the river, the man with the financial means to sun was burning its way through satisfy her tastes. He also the haze. Geoff had slept fitfully, mentioned is son who he almost his sleep shattered by nightmares never saw. Joe’s wife didn’t talk of ruined cities, submerged about Pakistan. Geoff guessed graves, and the new fierce storms that he knew the reason. of these times. Things pulled Later, Geoff wondered about from the sea also haunted what how Joe and his family could little sleep he got. afford the gas for the generator, better be going soon so I “I’d the coffee, and the rest of the get to the Rockville docks soon. good lifestyle. He guessed that This looks like another day with they grew something besides early storms.” vegetables, maybe tobacco and down there, at the “She’s maybe weed, out behind the bottom of the steps.” Joe pointed
Conversation wound down as they ate. The rain stopped, and started up again. Supper ended as the rain ebbed, and they moved to the living room for coffee. The rules of hospitality forbade any conversation that would re-ignite the argument of the afternoon. So they didn’t talk about the mess that the world was in, and they didn’t talk about the weather. Joe talked about his family from Illinois and Geoff talked about relatives down south. He talked about the little he knew about his wife’s current life after she had left him for a man with the financial means to satisfy her tastes. He also mentioned is son who he almost never saw. Joe’s wife didn’t talk about Pakistan. Geoff guessed that he knew the reason. Later, Geoff wondered about how Joe and his family could afford the gas for the generator, the coffee, and the rest of the good lifestyle. He guessed that they grew something besides vegetables, maybe tobacco and maybe weed, out behind the house and sold it to someone on the mainland. He didn’t ask. Hospitality also demanded the cultivation of the skill of minding one’s own business. This was especially true out here, where people had their reasons to flee the civilization of the mainland. After the coffee, Joe’s wife spoke up. “I’ll show you where your bed is. We go to bed early out here.” “Just like the shore.” Geoff thought, following the lady up the stairs. ‘The morrow would come soon enough. The morning dawned hot and sticky. Across the river, the sun was burning its way through the haze. Geoff had slept fitfully, his sleep shattered by nightmares of ruined cities, submerged graves, and the new fierce storms of these times. Things pulled from the sea also haunted what little sleep he got. “I’d better be going soon so I get to the Rockville docks soon. This looks like another day with early storms.” “She’s down there, at the bottom of the steps.” Joe pointed
2015%20Autumn%20S&S.docx