“Would you like
some supper?”
“If it isn’t any
trouble.”
“None at all. I managed to salvage some leftover quiche
from work. And some pasta salad. We can
eat in ten minutes.”
“Anything I can
do?” asked Lazarus.
“Set the table,
butter some bread. How was your day?”
“Didn’t do a
lot. Hung out on the Drive, looked in
some stores.”
“Did you work
today?”
“No. I haven’t quit yet. Can’t make up my mind, I guess.”
“Unless it’s a
really miserable situation I wouldn’t recommend quitting their job to anyone. It’s so hard to find employment these days.”
“How long have you
been waitressing?”
“Eight years. I’m actually part-owner.”
“Like it?”
“I like the West
Wind. Waitressing’s hard work. But it’s a nice, casual sort of
atmosphere. Anyone can feel welcome
there”, Sheila said.
“Michael says you
were doing social work.”
“We were operating
a drop-in centre. We had to close
because of funding cuts.”
“You like people?”
“No. I don’t, really.”
“But you like
helping them?”
“Somebody has to do
it.
“Don’t you get
anything out of it?”
“I never think in
those terms.”
“Do you do it out
of a sense of duty?”
“I don’t really
think about it.”
“But there must be
some kind of pay-off.”
“Oh, probably. But I never think about it. If I get warm and fuzzy from doing someone a
good turn I don’t really notice it at all.”
“Would you say that
helping others is a part of your nature?”
“It’s part of human
nature.”
“Then you believe
that people are naturally good?”
“No I don’t. But I don’t believe we’re naturally evil
either. We make choices. Often wrong ones. But we make them all the
same.”
“Do you choose to
be good?”
“I try to choose
against doing evil. I suppose that’s why
I help people.”
“But you don’t get
anything out of it.”
“What’s there to
get? It seems that people nowadays
assume that in doing someone a good turn, you’re being extraordinary and
god-like. That’s complete egoism. It’s a matter of duty. Part of my being, part of your being is that
we are two persons among so many others, and the way we treat others is going
to have lasting consequences.”
“What goes around
comes around?”
“Yes. What are your plans for the evening?” Sheila
asked Lazarus.
“It’s nice
out. I’m going for a bike ride. What are you doing?”
“My ex-husband is
coming over with his current girlfriend.”
“How do you feel
about that?”
“I like
Persimmon. Bill is a bit tiresome.”
“How long do you
think they’ll be here?”
“Oh, don’t worry,
you’re perfectly welcome to be here.
How’s the quiche?”
“Hits the
spot. Sheila?”
“Yes?”
“What’s it like
being Michael’s mother?”
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