The Walk Home

          I told the doctor I wouldn’t be seeing him again. “No, I guess

you won’t,” he said. I walked out the door feeling really good. Of

course I knew I was going to die, but still the day looked bright to

me. I walked down to the water. Ducks were circling around and about.

A sailboat sailed by. I walked along the shore. The sun beat down

on me. I felt as though I might live forever. I sat down on a bench

and watched the joggers pass. A pretty blonde walked by and I said,

“Hello.” She looked at me and said hello. A man with a greyhound

on a leash walked by. I got up and started to walk. A woodpecker

was pounding on a tree. An airplane flew over, leaving a thick trail of

smoke. I left the lake and walked on up the road. I crossed at the

streetlights and crossed the bridge. A car swerved to miss me. I

thought, that could have been it, the end right there, but I walked on,

bravely dodging the cars. When I got to the residential district, I

felt relieved. There were large elms and maples overhanging the street,

and people pushing baby carriages. Dogs ran loose everywhere. A man

stopped me and asked if I knew where 347 Walnut Street was. I said

I didn’t. He said, “Oh well, it didn’t matter anyway.” I said, “Why?”

He said it was a funeral notice. I walked on, bumping into a fat lady

with a load of groceries. I said I was sorry. She kept going, dropping

a load of grapefruit. Then, further on, there was a giant explosion across

the street. Police and firemen were there right away. It appears it

was a gas main beneath the shop. No one was there, luckily, but the

firetrucks had their hands full. I left before it was out. The shop

was pretty much destroyed. When I got home I was tired. I made

myself a cup of tea and sat down on the couch. I thought about calling

my mother, but she was in heaven. I called her anyway. “Mom, how are

you doing?” I said. “I’m bored. Don’t come here. There’s nothing to

do,” she said. “Aren’t there angels?” I said. “Yes, but they’re boring,”

she said. “But I was going to come see you,” I said. “Go to hell, it’s

more exciting,” she said. I had fallen asleep with my teacup in my

hand. When I awoke I realized I had thought it was a phone. My

mother would never be so sarcastic about heaven.