“I guess it was.” She rubbed her cheek, which stung from the bite of some small creature. “And Jose wants to leave the dairy and open a restaurant at the park, and you’re thinking of closing the dairy? That’s a lot to digest. What kind of a restaurant? Where at the park? When did you start thinking of closing the dairy? My head’s spinning.”

“So was mine when Jose first came to me about this. As far as I can tell, it’s to be a Mexican restaurant—tacos, tortillas, burritos, things like that are very popular these days—and as for where, I imagine that storeroom off the entrance across from the reception desk might do just fine. It’s a good-size room, and we hardly utilize it. Add some good lighting, maybe a window or two.”

He stopped and laughed. “It all seems like too much these days. My mind feels jumbled sometimes, and other times it’s clear as a bell. But yes, that’s right. It’s a lot to lay on you. Let me tell you my thoughts about the dairy.”

They walked on, Max speaking slowly, trying to see into their future even as he spoke. “The other day I was standing next to a cow that I raised from a calf and I couldn’t for the life of me remember her name. I named that cow. It came back to me, of course, but that bothered me. It’s not the first incident of forgetting.”

“I forget. I walk around with a list I make every morning, or I wouldn’t remember what I need to accomplish on any given day,” Hannah said. “Grace complains of the same thing. It’s normal at our age to sometimes forget names or things.”

“I’ve always had a sterling memory,” he replied. “But it’s more than that. I’ve had the feeling for a while now that the cows and the dairy are too much for Jose. He has arthritis, and since he can’t take Vioxx any longer, it’s really flared up. Aleve works, but not as well, he says, and cold, damp, or rainy days don’t help. I’ve watched him. Sometimes he can hardly straighten up.”

Max slung his arm around Hannah’s shoulder. The wind was brisk, and in her long-sleeved cotton shirt and summer slacks, Hannah felt chilled. She leaned against Max’s shoulder, pressing her body into his for warmth. Suddenly, aware of her discomfort, and against her protests, Max removed his leather jacket and settled it across her shoulders. Grateful for the comfort it afforded, Hannah squeezed his hand.

“Will you really close the dairy, or just find someone to replace Jose?”

Max scowled. “Who can replace Jose? We’ve had a good run, Jose and I.” He fell silent for a moment. “There’s a time for everything. The time’s come to retire from the dairy business.”