I said, "Maybe." In a gossipy small town one does not discuss one's social hopes. "Don't worry," I said. "I'll get out eventually." She sighed and left.

The silvery salmon slapped my hands as I rinsed it and wrapped it in muslin. It too had been dedicated to mating and spawning and look at how far it had gotten.

Arch marched in and lobbed a two- pound bag of sugar onto a chair before heading for the phone in his room. The opened bag snowed part of its contents onto the kitchen floor.

"The Television Trivia Championship is at hand," Arch, ignorant of his mess, hollered over his shoulder.

The rolls enveloped the kitchen with the smell of dill. In a large ceramic bowl I sloshed oil and egg and sugar for the muffins and was about to add the flour when my business line rang again.

"Goldilocks' Catering-" "Stop."

Marla again. I began to measure the flour into the bowl, but some blew up my nose and onto the floor on top of the sugar. New powder on top of packed powder. Soon we could ski in the kitchen.

"What now?" I said.

"Don't tell me you haven't heard the latest."

"How could I? I just talked to you within the last hour."

"He is marrying this girl." I set the bowl down.

"Goldy, did you hear me?"

I reached for the mushrooms. "Goldy, do you believe this?"

I said, "Hmm."

"Well, my dear," she demanded shrilly, "what are we going to do?"

"Feel sorry for her. Not give tomatoes to him," I answered as I began to mince.

"Anyyway," continued Marla, "the thought of a third daughter-in-law was too much for Vonette. She got drunk, I mean really gone, and Fritz called the cops and had her hauled down to Furman County detox."

"Not again," I said as bits of mushroom fell from the side of my knife. "Did someone go get her?"

"Yes, she's home, doing better. She'll be at the wake tomorrow. Fritz, for all that silver fox routine, isn't exactly what you'd call compassionate. Must run in the family."

I said, "Should I try to keep Vonette away from the Vouvray?"

"No way," said Marla with a snort. "I can't believe that in your eight years with John Richard, you never saw Vonette's flask. She keeps it in her purse. You must be blind."

"I am not blind," I replied before hanging up, "but I will be broke if I can't finish the food for this party."

With the mushrooms minced and wrapped and the muffins steaming in the oven, I headed down the hall toward Arch's room, sugar bag in hand.

"Do you realize the mess you made by tearing into this?" I demanded after knocking and entering and offering the bag as evidence. He told Todd to hang on and cupped his hand over the phone.