All the Time in the World by E. L. Doctorow Page B

before going off to school. Their first suicide.
    Sir, the man died of an acute myocardial infarction.
    Says who?
    The EMTs examined him.
    Well, they’re entitled to their opinion.
    It’s more than an opinion, sir. They see things like this every day. They didn’t even try to resuscitate.
    No, he took himself out, for sure, wily fellow that he was. That’s why he came here—it was all planned.
    Why are you being like this? He came here, it was like—
    Like what?
    A pilgrimage.
    Oh, right. He came here to fuck up our lives is why he came here. Came here like a dog to lift his leg and mark his territory. And where does that leave us? Living in a dead man’s house. I thought my home was my castle.
    I didn’t think you had such homebound loyalties.
    Well, folks, we’ll be leaving now.
    I didn’t! Somewhere to stash the wife and kids is as far as it went with me. But, by God, I paid for it with my labor. I’ve done everything I was supposed to do. Gave you a house, a safe if dull neighborhood, three children, a reasonably comfortable life. To make you happy! And have you ever been? What but your dissatisfactions could have led you to invite this walking death wish into your home!
    Well, folks, as I said, we’ll be leaving now. We may have some more questions after we sort things out.
    And what are you going to do about his damn Ford Falcon sitting in my driveway?
    We’ve gone through the car. We’ve inventoried the contents. Got his I.D. Closest relative.
    He said he had a daughter.
    Yes, ma’am, we have that.
    But the car!
    We have no more interest in the car. It becomes part of the deceased’s estate. The daughter will decide its disposition. In the meantime, I will ask you to leave it where it is. Safer here than downtown. Keys are in the ignition.
    Jesus!
    Sir, there are procedures for situations like this. We are following the procedures. The cause of death will be confirmed by themedical examiner, the death certificate filed with the town clerk’s office, the body placed in the morgue, pending instructions from the closest relative. That will be the daughter.
    Officer, I will want to write her.
    Soon as we make contact, ma’am. I see no reason why you can’t. We’ll be in touch.
    Thank you.
    And, hey, Officer?
    Sir?
    Tell her the good news. Daddy has come home.
    SO, FINALLY, I AGREE WITH YOU .
    Yes?
    We can’t live here anymore. I pass through the hallway and sidle along the wall as if he were there on the floor, staring. It’s eerie. I feel dispossessed. I’m a displaced person.
    Not the best time to be selling, babe. And what about the kids’ school? Right in the middle of the term.
    You’re the one who said we couldn’t ever get this out of our mind.
    I know, I know.
    The boys won’t come upstairs. The playroom’s their dormitory. And it’s damp down there.
    All right. Okay. Maybe we should think about renting something. Maybe a sublet somewhere till we get squared away. We’ll see. You want another?
    A half.
    I am really sorry. I don’t blame you. I speak in the heat of the moment.
    No, I suppose I should have known. The way he talked. But it was interesting. His ideas—how unusual to hear philosophicalconversation. That someone would reveal himself to that extent. So though I thought he was a depressed person, I was fascinated by the novelty that someone could be talking that way as if it were the most natural thing.
    You know, it’s really funny …
    What?
    She’s just like him, the daughter. A gamer.
    Yes, I did think it odd.
    I would not call that a close relationship, would you?
    Hardly.
    Couldn’t care less. You know, I found—when Goodwill took away all his stuff—I found that the actual naked car inside was clean. Upholstery’s okay. And I looked under the hood. Needs an oil change, and the fan belt looks a bit ragged. Took it around the block and it bounces a bit on the road. Maybe new shocks.
    You like that car, don’t you?
    Well, with a good paint job, maybe some