T Is for Trespass

Vronsky? Are you here?”
    I heard a muffled thumping in the hallway.
    “Hell and damnation! Would you quit all that hollering? I’m doing the best I can.”
    Within seconds, the querulous Gus Vronsky appeared in the doorway, holding on to a walker for support as he shuffled into the room. He was still in his robe, bent nearly double by his osteoporosis, which left him staring at the floor.
    “I hope I didn’t wake you. I wasn’t sure you heard me.”
    He tilted his head and peered up at me sideways. His hearing aids were in place, but the left one was askew. “With all the racket you made? I went to the front door, but there was nobody on the porch. I thought it was a prank. Kids making trouble. We used to do that when I was young. Knock on the door and run. I was on my way back to bed when I heard the ruckus in here. What in tarnation do you want?”
    “I’m Kinsey. Henry’s tenant…”
    “I know who you are! I’m not an imbecile. I can tell you right now I don’t know who’s president so don’t think you can trip me up on that one. Harry Truman was the last decent man in office and he dropped those bombs. Put an end to World War Two, I can tell you that straight off.”
    “I wanted to make sure you were okay. Do you need anything?”
    “ Need anything? I need my hearing back. I need my health. I need relief from this pain. I fell and put my shoulder out of commission…”
    “I know. I was with Henry when he found you that day. I stopped by last night and you were sound asleep.”
    “That’s the only privacy I have left. Now there’s this woman comes in, pestering the life out of me. You may know her. Solana something . Says she’s a nurse, but not much of one in my opinion. Not that that counts for much these days. I don’t know where she’s gone off to. She was here earlier.”
    “I thought she came on at three o’clock.”
    “What time is it now?”
    “Eight thirty-five.”
    “ A.M. or P.M. ?”
    “Morning. If it were eight thirty-five P.M ., it would be dark out.”
    “Then I don’t know who it was. I heard someone fumbling around and assumed it was her. Door’s unlocked, it could have been anyone. I’m lucky I wasn’t murdered in my bed.” His gaze shifted. “Who’s that?”
    He was looking past me at the kitchen door and I jumped when I saw someone standing on the porch. She was a heavyset woman in a mink coat, holding up a brown grocery bag. She motioned at the knob. I crossed and opened the back door for her.
    “Thank you, dear. I have my hands full this morning and didn’t want to have to set this on the porch. How are you?”
    “Fine.” I told her who I was and she did the same, introducing herself as Mrs. Dell, the Meals on Wheels volunteer.
    “How are you doing, Mr. Vronsky?” She set her package on the kitchen table, talking to Gus as she unloaded the bag. “It’s awfully cold outside. Nice that you have neighbors concerned about you. Have you been doing well?”
    Gus didn’t bother to reply and she didn’t seem to expect an answer. He made an irritated gesture, waving her away, and moved his walker toward a chair.
    Mrs. Dell tucked boxes in the refrigerator. She moved to the microwave oven and put three cartons inside, then punched in some numbers. “This is chicken casserole, a single serving. You can have this with the vegetables packed in the two smaller containers. All you do is push the Start button. I’ve already set the time. But you be careful when you take it out. I don’t want you burning yourself like you did before.” She was speaking louder than normal, but I wasn’t convinced he’d heard her.
    He stared at the floor. “I don’t want beets.” He said it as though she’d accused him of something and he was setting the record straight.
    “No beets. I told Mrs. Carrigan you didn’t care for them so she sent you green beans instead. Is that all right? You said green beans were your favorite.”
    “I like green beans, but not hard. Crisp is no good. I don’t like it when they taste raw.”
    “These should be fine. And there’s a half a sweet potato. I put your brown-bag supper in the fridge. Mrs. Rojas said she’d remind you when it’s time to eat.”
    “I can remember to eat! How idiotic do you think I am? What’s in the bag?”
    “A tuna salad sandwich, coleslaw, an apple, and some cookies. Oatmeal-raisin. Did you remember to take your pills?”
    He looked at her blankly. “What say?”
    “Did you take your pills this