“Oh, that’s no problem at all,” the man said. He was well-dressed, a light-skinned black man wearing diamond studs, rings on every finger, and several gold necklaces. He sat in the living room with me as I finished making notes on DeWitts’s chart and made polite chitchat. He mentioned the beautiful weather, asked if I had any children, told me he had a couple. Or maybe three, he wasn’t quite sure. As soon as I shut the door, they got down to business. I know, because I stood there listening, wondering if I should do anything about it. Wisely, I didn’t. I remembered all the places there are in the world, and my place in it.

• • •

When I arrive at the Schwartzes, Ethel answers the door in tears. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

“It’s Murray. He’s in the hospital.”

“Oh, Ethel. When? What happened?”

“Just this morning. We were having breakfast, and he stood up and said his chest hurt so bad and then he just fell down. And I called the ambulance and by the time they got here, he was … he couldn’t … Oh God, Mary, I can’t live without him. You don’t know. He’s in the CCU. I just came home to get some things packed, and then I’m going back there. I won’t leave him until he comes home. I know what I used to say about him, but I love him, he’s my husband, I’m married fifty-five years to him. I don’t know life without him. You must think—”

“Ethel. I know how much you love him. Finish packing. I’ll drive you back to the hospital.”

“Oh, thank you. Thank you.” She wipes at her nose with the back of her hand.

“It’s all right.”

“I’m almost finished, I just need to find a robe that … I never saw such a slob. I tell him, I say, Murray, did it ever occur to you—” She stops, turns to me. Opens her mouth and then closes it. And then, very quietly, “Oh, my God.”

“I’ll go and take care of your medications,” I tell Ethel. “You’ll need to take them with you. You go ahead and finish packing. I can get you there in less than fifteen minutes.”