Three hundred forty miles from Catamount Falls and from the high-rise apartment overlooking the steely St. Lawrence River. Though I have yet to precisely calculate the miles, it is probably about the same distance to South Niagara. East and south of the city of my birth, south of the Mohawk River in a hilly and mostly rural region of New York State in which I have never lived and where I know no one.

Here, Orlando Metti will never find me. I am certain.

If I’d remained in Catamount Falls the man might have persevered. Out of bitterness, spite. I’d have had to move from Cayuga Street to another rental. But Metti could not hate me so very much, he’d hardly known me. Soon, another girl/woman would attract his eye. The pale blond cleaning-woman speaking accented English, maybe.

In another few months Metti will have forgotten my name. And he has to be grateful to be rid of the damned little dog.

It is a new life in Mohawk, New York. A new interim life.

Not my true life but a provisional life. Improvised, calculated.

Slowly, assiduously since the age of eighteen I have been accumulating credits in the state university system. I have had many interruptions in my education. Entire epochs of my life seem to have disappeared. I have never been able to attend college full-time and now the State University of New York at Mohawk has accepted me as a transfer student in the School of Social Work with just five more courses before graduation.

In Mohawk, a town of less than twenty thousand inhabitants, I will look for a new way of supporting myself. I will change my hair color to its more natural shade of brown. I will walk the lively little French bulldog along the river at least twice a day and see who it is I will encounter in this territory entirely new to me.

What an adorable little dog! What is his breed? What is his name?

A dog is a disguise I’d never anticipated.

Uncanny

HIM. BUT—WHO?

He was approaching me on the campus walkway. First morning of the fall term.

Facing me, not exactly seeing me. Making his way deftly through loose surges of students moving more slowly along the walkway oblivious of him, his very presence.