101

At the Oceana Apartments—

At the Oceana Apartments.

At the Oceana Apartments.

At the Oceana Apartments.

There is only the Oceana Apartments, and the waiting promise of the sea beyond.

He could leave for the afternoon. Ida would take him somewhere. But a departure involves the fuss of getting ready, and of negotiating the stairs to the car, and of the ride, and of walking from the car to the restaurant, or the pier, or the sand.

Or simply walking.

He is too tired for that.

And he does not wish to disappoint the world by letting it see how frail he has become.