Meldrick’s penchant for investigating the riddle of existence caused the other janitors to avoid him, and Meldrick found little in common with anyone on the faculty, with their state university degrees, who would get a glazed-over look in their eyes when he wanted to expound on some philosopher who obsessed him. Meldrick sometimes thought he was the only person at the school, perhaps the only regular job-holder in the whole country, with the leisure to read philosophy, and thanks to Window he had an abundance of time. Moreover, it was only with Window that he felt completely at ease, with whom he could talk and simply be himself—Window, who didn’t have a very high-priced vocabulary but who would patiently watch while Meldrick took him into a classroom and illustrated concepts like “nihilism” or “existentialism” on the chalkboard and explained to Window how they were relevant to his own situation, including those times when Window was lovesick over Catherine and would zone out so badly that Meldrick actually had to clean the shops himself or even dump the filthy cloth bag of his “Pig,” a noisy but durable commercial vacuum cleaner. Thus Meldrick attempted to instruct Window on such topics as love between the sexes and other practical matters taking an airy, detached, and theoretical view that made the problems of life seem simple and resolvable. Meldrick could get on a kick and rave for an hour until Window would practically topple over like a chicken that had been hypnotized by having its beak placed on a line scratched in the dirt.

Although Meldrick repeatedly warned Window about Catherine, who was notorious at East High for her temper tantrums and sexual escapades, once she let Window have sex with her, Window was deaf to all advice. Like Odysseus, he had heard the “lovely tones” from the Siren’s isle and had lost all sense of reason.

Meldrick became exasperated. “I talk to you until I am blue in the face. You just won’t listen. What’s the matter with you, huh? Hello dere, is anybody home?”

“I’m home, Meldrick.”

“Why, mercy, Window. I thought you were lost in space.”

“No, Meldrick. Window’s on earth today.”

“Then perhaps we can work the conundrum through. Perhaps we can slash the Gordian knot. Let’s try something new. Listen closely, Window, this is serious. As I count forward from one to seven, you will become more and more relaxed. I want you to picture yourself walking down a set of stairs, and with each step you will find yourself going deeper and deeper into relaxation. One…two…three…(you are becoming more and more relaxed). Please wipe that shit-eating grin off your face, Window—four…five…six…seven. There! You are now in touch with the Higher Power, that part of you which knows all. What does it say?”

Window began to guffaw. “I know, I know, Meldrick. Leave the bitch alone!”