He was a polite young man. His name was Richard. He seemed to be very understanding when I explained that Harold had kicked the doors in. Of course I didn’t tell him everything. All I wanted was to forget about Harold, and every time I looked at the doors I thought about him. I tried to talk to him a little. I told him that I was divorced now and that it was a lot different when you’re used to two salaries and then have to live on just one. I told him I didn’t want to pay a whole lot for the work. He said the doors would run about forty dollars apiece. I had no idea they would be that high.

He had very nice-looking hands. They looked like strong hands, but gentle. I doubted if they’d ever been used to slap somebody, or to break down a door.

He didn’t talk much. He was one of those quiet people who intrigue you because they keep so much inside. Maybe he was just shy. I thought the price he gave me was twenty or thirty dollars too high. I told him I’d think about it. But I needed the work done.

After he left, I fixed myself another drink and looked at the doors. They were those hollow-core things, they wouldn’t keep out anybody who wanted in bad enough. I kept thinking about Richard. I wondered what it would be like to kiss him. I could imagine how it would be. How warm his hands would be. My life is halfway or more than halfway over. There’s not much time left for things like that. I don’t know why I even thought about it. He had the bluest eyes and they looked so sad. Maybe that was the reason. Whatever it was, I decided to call him back and let him do the work. I couldn’t stand to look at those doors any longer.

I was feeding Tracey when she called. Betty was reading one of her police detective magazines. The phone rang three or four times. Betty acted like she didn’t hear it. I got up with Tracey and went and answered it.

I was surprised that she called back. She’d already talked like I was too high. But people don’t know what carpentry work is worth. You have to have a thousand dollars’ worth of tools to even start.

She sounded like she was a little drunk. I guess she was lonely. When I was over there, she’d look at the doors and just shake her head. But I’d given her a reasonable price. It was cheaper than anybody else would have done it for. I didn’t tell her that. She wouldn’t have believed it.