You take care then. Ma’am, it was a pleasure meeting you.
Schramm put his hat back on his head and left, and they talked and ordered another round of drinks. Rose explained to Raymond that she had a grown son who lived on the western slope. Her husband had died twenty years ago of a heart attack at the age of thirty. No one expected it, she said. There had been no warning and no one on his side of the family had had heart trouble before. Afterward she had raised their son by herself, and he’d gone on to study at the university in Boulder and now was an architect in Glenwood Springs, and married, with two little boys. I see them as often as I can, she said.
So you’re a grandmother, he said.
Yes. Aren’t I lucky.
Yes ma’am. I’m pretty lucky myself, he said. Having Victoria and Katie in my life.
I knew Victoria’s mother, Rose said. She came in to Social Services one time, but she wasn’t eligible.
Well, she come out to the house one time too, Raymond said, not long after Katie was born. Showed up at the house one afternoon kind of unexpected. I think she had in mind to get close to Victoria again, but her and Victoria didn’t get along. Victoria didn’t want anything to do with her. I didn’t say nothing about it myself, it was up to her to decide. Anyway, I think her mother went off to Pueblo where she come from originally. I ain’t saying anything against the woman. But it was kind of miserable for a while there.
THEY FINISHED THEIR DINNER AND RAYMOND GOT THE check from the waitress and paid it.
Let me leave the tip, Rose said.
You don’t need to.
I know. But I want to.
They went outside to his pickup. The parking lot was half empty now and a soft breeze was blowing. Raymond opened the door for her and she got in.
Would you care to drive out in the country a little ways? she said. It’s such a nice night.
If you’d care to.
Rose rolled the window down and Raymond drove them out east on the highway in the dark night, the fresh air blowing in on them through the opened windows. They drove about ten miles and then he stopped, backed up and turned around and came back. In town the lights of Main Street seemed very bright after the dark on the highway in the flat country. He pulled up to her house and stopped.
Will you come in? she said.
Ma’am, I don’t know. I’m not much good in other people’s houses.
Come in. Let me make you some coffee.
He shut off the engine and came around and opened her door and they walked up to her house. While she went back to the kitchen, he sat down in a large upholstered chair in the front room and looked around at her pictures, everything so clean and carefully arranged and put in order. Rose stepped into the room and said: Do you want sugar and milk with your coffee?
No thank you, ma’am. Just black.
She brought the cups in and handed him one. She took a seat on the couch across from him.
You have a beautiful place here, he said.
Thank you.
They drank their coffee and talked a little more. Finally Raymond had a last sip and stood up. I think it’s time for me to get on home, he said.
You don’t have to go yet.
I better, he said.
She put her cup down and walked over to him. She took his hand. I would like to kiss you, she said. Would you allow me to do that?
Now ma’am, I —
You’ll have to bend down. I’m not very tall.
He bent his head and she took his face in her hands and kissed him thoroughly on the mouth. He held his arms straight at his sides. After she’d kissed him he reached up and touched at his mouth with his fingers.
Wouldn’t you like to come back to the bedroom? she said.
He looked at her in surprise. Ma’am, he said. I’m a old man.
I know how old you are.
I doubt if I could do you any good.
Let’s just see.