Page 186 - Where the Dream Ends ebook

Marc Erdrich

“I was on my way home,” Eddie said, “and I wasn’t feeling
well so I pulled off the road for a while.”

“Well, you’re parked in a pretty bad spot. Why don’t you
move up a ways? I’m afraid there’ll be an accident if you stay
here.”

“I was about to leave anyway,” Eddie said. “Sorry if I caused
a problem.”
“No problem,” the trooper said, handing Eddie his license
and registration. “I just thought you were one of those kids.
There’s an army of them on the road tonight, what with school
just out and everything. You never know what kind of crazy
things they’re going to do. I just stopped a bunch of them on
the way over to the lake.”

“Really,” Eddie said, matter-of-factly. “If that’s it then, I’ll
be on my way. Good-night” The trooper tipped his hat and
Eddie started the car and drove off.

The encounter with the policeman was sobering, so that by
the time Eddie pulled into his driveway he was feeling better;
so much better, in fact, that as he got out of the car and walked
around the path to the front of the house, he was singing the
words to a silly tune his daughter had taught him: I can make
you happy/I can make you laugh/I just need you with me/Need you
near. Eddie shook his head and laughed at himself.
* * *

The moon was nearly full. In the light, Eddie could see
the wispy tops of the asparagus plants that had gone to seed.
When Eddie moved into the small cottage, he was so excited
at having his own asparagus patch he bought a special knife for

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