On the flight to Edmonton he sat next to an old woman who was scared of flying. She was so desperate with fear that Macon had to laugh and joke with her, and make encouraging remarks all the time. He could not remember ever having been so bright and cheerful on a flight
In Edmonton Sarah phoned him to tell him that there was only one burst pipe and it was going to be quite easy to fix. She had begun the cleaning up, she said, but was curious to know why some of the sheets were sewn in half.
In Vancouver she phoned again. 'Well, I've moved back into the house," she said. "Mostly I just stay upstairs. The cat and I went and picked the cat up at Rose's needed company. You wouldn't believe how lonely it is.
' Yes, he would believe it, he could have said. But didn't.
So here they were in their same old positions. He wasn't surprised when she said, "Macon? Do you what’s her name Muriel Do you plan on staying with Muriel forever ?
I really couldn't say,' he said.
How strange the name Muriel sounded, suddenly.
After he landed in Baltimore, he went to his car and drove to the city. lt was late evening, with a clear, pale sky. He came to Singleton Street and put his signal on but didn't turn. After a while the signal turned itself off on its own. He rode on through the city, into his old neighborhood. He parked and sat looking at the house. There was a soft light in the upstairs windows. It seemed he had come home.