I stared at the set too, thinking about Sally’s question regarding getting even. I wondered at what point the thirst for vengeance becomes a sin of pride. I remembered God’s warning against lashing out at those who’ve wronged you, Him saying, “It is mine to avenge, I will repay.” And then I questioned whether all that wasn’t just me looking for an excuse to cut and run after getting a real taste of what my life will be like if I take up Czarnecki’s crusade.

After a while, Sally said, “What’s going on in Vietnam?”

“What do you mean?” I said.

“I’ve been in a hole for ten years, man. I don’t know anything.”

“The war’s over,” I said. “They say we lost.”

“How about the Yankees? How are they doing?”

“Looking good this year. Might go all the way.”

“Who’s dead? Who’s alive? Louis Armstrong?”

“He’s dead,” I said.

“Coltrane?”

“Dead.”

“I bet fucking Sinatra’s still kicking though. Fucking Bing Crosby.”

“Both alive,” I said.

“Figures.”

Sally quieted down again, then said, “I’ve got a score to settle too.”

“With who?” I said.

“DC? My pal?” Sally said. “You know who dusted him? Rovers. Three nigger-hating rovers.” He started to fidget. “We were in Memphis,” he continued. “Him and this kid were walking back to our hotel from Beale Street where he was playing, and these rednecks jumped them. They said they didn’t need another rover in Memphis, especially not a black one, and tied DC and the kid up and drove them out to the sticks.

“The kid got away but hid close by and came to me later and told me what happened. He said the hicks beat DC until all his bones were broken. He said one of them blew on DC’s horn while the others took turns stabbing him. After that they put a noose around his neck and threw him off a bridge. Dumb as they were, they didn’t think about the drop. When the rope snapped taut, it tore DC’s head right off. He was dust before his shoes hit the river.”

Sally bent double in the chair and went silent for a while, then suddenly sat up and said, “I loved that man. I still can’t think about what happened to him without wanting to die myself.”

“I loved my son,” I said.

“So you understand,” Sally said. “You understand that even though being locked up in that shed has been hell, I figure at least I’ve gotten a little payback for DC by leading the old man to rovers.”

I was tired of listening to him, tired of having to think about things from his point of view. What I needed was clarity, not someone muddying the water even more. He stacked the empty takeout boxes one inside the other.

“What if I gave you someone special?” he said.