After what seemed like hours, I got off the floor and took a shower, keeping the bathroom door open so I could catch any incoming calls. On the off chance my caller would tell me to quit drinking, I positioned myself on the sofa with two six-packs and a bottle of nice scotch. Then I turned on the TV and ate a sandwich made from leftover chicken lo mein. I call it a Chanwich. At a pivotal point in “One Life to Live” my telephone rang. A woman who introduced herself as Pamela was determined to woo me away from my current long-distance carrier.

“We’ve been observing your calling patterns, Mr. Heck, and notice that you seem to have several European friends. Did you realize that our company can save you up to twenty-three percent on overseas calls?”

I wound up switching to her company because, seeing as I had made a commitment to change, it seemed cowardly not to honor it. After our conversation I hung up the phone, expecting it to ring again a few minutes later. I thought I was on a roll and that — who knows? — anyone might call, anyone at all.

The phone didn’t ring again until sometime around ten in the evening, by which point I was pretty well potted. It was a woman’s voice and she started in immediately saying, “All right now, I realize you probably don’t remember who I am, do you?” She gave me a moment to guess but I could not begin to identify her.

“It’s me, Trudy Chase. I used to be Trudy Cousins. Chase is my married name even though I’m no longer married if that makes any sense! Anyway, I don’t live in Piedmont anymore but I still have the good old Post-Democrat delivered to my door every day and that’s where I read the obituary on your mother. I know it’s been a while but I just wanted to tell you that I’m very sorry to hear about it.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

“You really don’t remember me, do you?” she said. “It’s me, crazy Trudy who used to sit beside you in Mr. Pope’s senior English class. Remember me? I was the crazy one. I was the one who wrote 'Don’t follow me — I’m lost too' on the back of her graduation gown. It’s me, crazy Trudy.”

Suddenly I remembered her perfectly. Even at eighteen she struck me as hopeless.

“So, Trudy,” I said. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, you know me. I’m just as crazy as ever. No, I take that back I’m probably crazier if you can believe that!”