You, ma’am? said William.
What’s your story? said Clyda.
They seemed to be bracing themselves in case I might answer.
No doubt your end was fascinating? said William.
Myend? said Clyda. Was fascinating. To me. In my final moments, I was hit bya second car.Can you believe it? That’s when I knew I was definitely not making it back. To Adrian’s. Where my friends were.
Waiting for the chips, said William.
Adrian’s house? said Clyda. Gone. There was no house there for a while, then there was this different house. Then that one got torn down. And now?
Forest, said William.
All forest, said Clyda. Jeez Louise.
In the final hours of my suffering, said William, two cowpokes came by, saw that I was of the darker hue, and rode on.
Heartless, said Clyda. Not even a drink of water did they offer.
It was hard, said William. Hard for me.
It’s hard for everyone there at the end, said Clyda.
Hard for you too, ma’am, no doubt? said William.
Both were trembling with the effort of trying to avoid once again turning the conversation back to themselves.
To no avail.
Then night came on, William said. And I thought: I shall never see another sunrise. My sister will forever wonder what became of me.
I couldn’t believe it, honestly, said Clyda. I actually felt my spine crack. And never did find out who won the game.
She looked at me hopefully, as if I might know.
When Clyda first arrived, William said, I had been here nearly one hundred and fifty years. And alone, always alone.
Alone no more, Clyda said. Am I right?
Alone no more, said William. Truly. What a happy day that was for me.
For me? said Clyda. Not the best.
But now? said William.
No complaints, said Clyda.
And yet, said William.
Sometimes boring, said Clyda.
At first her story completely bored me, said William.
Likewise, said Clyda.
Because it was notmystory, said William.
