On Staten Island
"She tried to kill herself," Sam Campbell said, and he settled back in his chair, away from the chess table. Joyce Dewitte moved her knight's pawn ahead one square. She was trying hard to think of some response to what he'd just said, because she desperately did not want to let what he'd said lie there so flat, and cold, and ugly.
"And so," she asked, "she's in Bellevue?" and felt at once that it was a pretty lame remark.
Sam leaned forward and took one of Joyce's pawns with one of his bishops. "Yes," he answered tonelessly, "she's in Bellevue."
"You miss her, don't you, Sam?"
"I miss her a lot, Joyce. A hell of a lot!"
"I mean . . . your wife, Sam."
He looked blankly across the table at her, momentarily confused, and idly moved one of his chess pieces. "The hurt is fading, Joyce. The memories aren't, but the hurt is."
"Yes," Joyce whispered, "I understand that." She put back the piece he'd just moved. "It was my move, Sam." She looked the board over.
He said, "Would you like to come with me next week, Joyce?"
"Come with you?" She moved her queen. "Come where, Sam?"
"To see Marsha. At Bellevue."
Joyce looked quickly at him, then away, as if he had taken her by surprise. "Do you really think that would be . . . a good thing to do, Sam?"
He thought a moment, sighed, shook his head. "No," he answered, "I guess not."
She reached across the table, touched his hand lightly. "I think you should talk to her about me, first, Sam." He nodded. "Yes, I think so, too."
"And then, when she's gotten used to the idea that there's . . . that there might be . . . someone else . . ." He took her hand, squeezed it, nodded again, "Yes, that's a good idea, Joyce. Yes." He was clearly upset.
"Or am I way off base, Sam?"
"No, Joyce"—he lowered his head, as if to avoid looking at her—"you're not off base. God, not at all!"
"You sound as if that bothers you."
"It does bother me. It bothers me a lot. It makes me feel lousy. It makes me feel . . . I don't know—adulterous, for Christ's sake!"
Joyce said nothing.
"And feeling adulterous, Joyce, feeling adulterous about . . . us makes me feel like a damned fool!" He sounded as if he was pleading with her.
"I can understand that," Joyce said.
"I know you can understand it, Joyce, but that doesn't make it . . . good. That doesn't make it normal."
And she said crisply, "Oh Christ, Sam—fuck 'normal'!" She grimaced. "No, I'm sorry . . ."
He smiled, closed his eyes lightly. "Yes," he whispered. "Thank you, Joyce. Thank you."
From The Purling Post: September 24th:
COUPLE REPORTED MISSING
Long-time Purling residents Marcus and Emma Wheeler have been reported as missing by their grandson Jason, according to Purling Town Constable William Sears. The couple, both 79 years old, have lived in a house at 432 Butternut Tree Lane since the early 1950s. They were active in church and civic affairs; he worked for 25 years as a gardener; she produced many award-winning quilts for various specialty shops in the county.
The couple was last seen three days ago leaving their home on Butternut Tree Lane. It is believed by Constable Sears that they were on their way to Laufer's Woods, and a search has been mounted there.
The couple also . . .
From The Leeds Gazette: September 25th:
SCARF ONLY CLUE IN CASE OF MISSING WOMAN
A red silk scarf apparently belonging to 41-year-old Josephine Alesi, of Burlow Street, Leeds, is so far the only clue to her mysterious disappearance two days ago.
The subject of a massive search by local volunteers and a dozen state troopers, Mrs. Alesi was last seen walking alone near the Green's Bird Sanctuary, off Route 87, a half mile outside the Leeds town limits.
Although the search is continuing, a spokesman for the search team expressed pessimism that the woman would be found.
In an incident which may be related, two twelve-year-old toys from Rhinebeck, forty miles south, have also been reported missing near the Green's Bird Sanctuary, and the search has been expanded to include them. The boys were reported missing by their mother when they failed to return home after a nature hike to the Sanctuary yesterday. It was not immediately determined if the boys got to the Sanctuary, and the investigation is continuing . . .