R Is for Ricochet

chat."
    William said, "Henry's feeling indecisive about Mattie."
    "I'm not indecisive! I'm being sensible. I'm eighty-seven years old. How many good years do I have left?"
    "Don't be absurd," William said. "Our side of the family has always lived to be at least a hundred and three. Did you hear what she said about
hers?
I thought she was reciting from the
Merck Manual.
Cancer, diabetes, and heart disease? Her mother died of meningitis. Of all things! Take my word for it, Mattie Halstead will go long before you."
    "Why worry about that? None of us are 'going' anytime soon," Henry said.
    "You're being foolish. She'd be lucky to have you."
    "What in heaven's name for?"
    "She'll need someone to see her through. No one wants to be ill and alone, especially toward the end."
    "There's nothing wrong with her! She's healthy as a horse. She'll outlive me by a good twenty years, which is more than I can say for you."
    William turned to me. "Lewis wouldn't be this stubborn -"
    "What's Lewis have to do with it?" Henry asked.
    "He appreciates her. If you'll remember, he was most attentive to her on the cruise."
    "That was months ago."
    "You tell him, Kinsey. Maybe you can get through to him."
    I could feel uneasiness stir. "I don't know what to say, William. I'm the last person in the world who should give advice about love."
    "Nonsense.
you
were married twice."
    "But neither one worked out."
    "At least you weren't afraid to commit. Henry's being cowardly – '"
    "I am not!" Henry's temper was climbing. I thought he was going to turn the hose on his brother, but he moved over to the faucet and wrenched the water off with a squawking sound. "The idea's preposterous. For one thing, Mattie's entrenched in San Francisco and my roots are down here. I'm a homebody at heart and look at the way she lives – always taking off on cruises, sailing around the world at the drop of a hat."
    "She only cruises the Caribbean so it doesn't present a problem," William said.
    "She's gone for weeks on end. There's no way in the world she's going to give that up."
    "Why should she give it up?" William said, exasperated. "Let her do anything she wants. You can live six months up there and the other six months down. We can all benefit from a change of scene – you more than most. And don't give me that song and dance about 'roots.' She can keep her place and you can keep yours, and you can go back and forth."
    "I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay right here."
    "I'll tell you your problem. You don't want to do anything that involves risk," William said.
    "Neither do you."
    "Not so! No sir. You're completely incorrect. By golly, I got
married
at the age of eighty-six and if you don't think that's taking a risk, then ask
her,"
he said, pointing to me.
    "Really, it is," I murmured dutifully, my hand in the air as though swearing an oath. "But guys? Excuse me…" They both turned to stare at me. "Don't you think Mattie's feelings count? Maybe she's no more interested in him than he is in her?"
    "I didn't say I wasn't
interested.
I'm discussing the situation from her point of view."
    "She's interested, you dolt!" William said. "Look at this. She's coming back to town in a day. She said so herself. Didn't you hear her say that?"
    "Because it's right in
her path.
She isn't stopping off to see me."
    "Oh yes she is, or why wouldn't she drive straight on through?"
    "Because she has to buy gas and stretch her legs."
    "Which she could do without taking the time to see you."
    "William has a point. I'm with him," I said.
    Henry began to coil the hose, his hands picking up bits of grit and cut grass. "She's a wonderful person and I value our friendship. Let's just leave the subject. I'm tired of it."
    William turned to me. "That's how this started. All I did was point out the obvious, that she's a wonderful person and he'd better get a move on and snap her up."
    Henry said, "Nuts!" waving William off as he returned to the house. He opened the screen door and banged it shut.
    William shook his head, leaning on his walking stick. "He's been like this all his life. Unreasonable. Stubborn. Having temper tantrums at the slightest hint of disagreement."
    "I don't know, William. If I were you, I'd back off and let them work it out for themselves."
    "I'm only trying to help."
    "Henry hates to be helped."
    "Because he's mulish."
    "We're all mulish when it comes right down to it."
    "Well, something has to be done. This may be his last chance at love. I can't bear to see