The Second Coming

out.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œAre you on something or coming off something?”
    â€œWhat?”
    He didn’t seem impatient with her dumbness. “Okay,” he said, counting off the questions on his fingers. “Are you taking a drug? Are you taking the pill? Are you coming off the pill? Are you pregnant?”
    â€œNo to one and all.” How would he treat her madness? ignore it, palpate her shoulder and tell her to lead her life? Would she?
    â€œOkay, what’s the trouble, little lady?”
    â€œI’m fine. What I was trying to tell you was—”
    â€œYou look healthy as a hawg to me.”
    â€œâ€”was to give you a message from—” She wanted to say “from him.” What to call him ? Mr. Barrett? Mr. Will? Will Barrett? Bill Barrett? Williston Bibb Barrett? None of the names fit. A name would give him form once and for all. He would flow into its syllables and junctures and there take shape forever. She didn’t want him named.
    Sluggishly, like a boat righting itself in a heavy sea, Dr. Battle was coming round to her. He began to listen.
    â€œFrom who?”
    â€œYour friend Barrett,” she mumbled. The surname was neutral, the way an Englishman speaks of other Englishmen.
    â€œWho? Will Barrett? Will Barrett’s out of town,” he said as if he were answering her questions.
    â€œYes.”
    This time his eyes snapped open, click. “What about Will Barrett?”
    â€œYou are to come see him this afternoon when you finish here.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter with him? Is that rascal sick?”
    Rascal. The word had peculiar radiations but mainly fondness.
    â€œNo. That is, I think he is all right now. He is scratched up and bruised and his leg is hurt but he can walk. This is in confidence. He doesn’t want anyone to know about this message.” It was a pleasure to talk to another person about him.
    â€œIn confidence?” For a second the eye went cold and flashed like a beacon.
    â€œI have not kidnapped him,” she said.
    He laughed. “All right. Where is he?”
    â€œHe is at my—” My what? “—place.”
    â€œOh. So.” He cocked his head and regarded her. It was possible for her to go around behind his eyes and see her and Will at her place. “Well, I’ll be dog. How about that? Okay. What’s with Will? Has he got his tail in some kind of crack?”
    She frowned and folded her arms. “He went down into Lost Cove cave, got lost, came back up, and fell into my place.”
    Though it was true, it sounded odd, even to her.
    â€œFell?” he said.
    â€œThat’s what I said. Fell. Flat fell down into my place.”
    â€œHe fell into your place from a cave,” said the doctor.
    â€œThat’s right.”
    The doctor nodded. “Okay.” Then he shook his head. “He shouldn’t be doing that.”
    â€œDoing what?”
    â€œHe doesn’t take care of himself. With his brain lesion he won’t—” His eyes opened. “All right. This is as good a chance as any to throw him down and look at him. Where is your place?”
    â€œYou know the old Kemp place?”
    â€œYes. Near there?”
    â€œThere. That’s my place.”
    â€œThere is nothing left there.”
    â€œA greenhouse is left.”
    â€œYou live in the greenhouse?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWill is staying in your greenhouse?”
    â€œYes. He fell into the greenhouse from the cave.”
    â€œHe fell into your greenhouse. From the cave. Okay.”
    It pleased her that Dr. Vance Battle did not seem to find it remarkable that the two of them, who? Will and who? Allie, Will and Allie, should be staying in the greenhouse. Only once did he cock his head and look at her along his cheekbone. Will and Allie? Williston and Allison? Willie and Allie?
    â€œIt is a matter in confidence,” she said. In confidence? Of confidence? To be held in confidence? Her rehearsed language had run out. She didn’t know where to put ofs and ins. It was time to leave.
    â€œRight. Tell that rascal I’ll be out this afternoon. We’ll throw him down and have a look at him.”
    Right, she repeated to herself as she left. I will tell that rascal.
    5
    Why does the sun feel so good on my back, she thought as she sat on the bench counting her money.
    Why am I spending all my money, she wondered at the A & P as she