Page 58 - Where the Dream Ends ebook

Marc Erdrich

banged on the ceiling with a broom. And he was afraid of his
uncle who had to give himself a needle for his diabetes every
morning.

A simple postmark brought all these memories flood-
ing into Harry’s consciousness. It all seemed so real that he
couldn’t tell if it was actually as he remembered it, or if that
too hadn’t been a dream. Once, he told his parents how he
remembered a trip to Philadelphia when his father hurt his ear.
He remembered they stayed in a big old house that belonged
to friends of his parents. He was upstairs sitting at the top of
the stairs one afternoon listening while everyone talked about
his father. His father had just come back from the doctor and
everyone was concerned. When Harry told his parents about
the trip, they said it was true his father injured his ear, but
Harry wasn’t with them. Harry insisted he was with them. If
he wasn’t, how come he could see it all so vividly? How could
he have made it up?

Would today’s events also cease to exist in the future, Harry
wondered. He would never come back here to find out, that
was for sure.

He removed the contents of the envelope. It was a letter,
four pages long, single-sided on white linen paper. It began
“My dearest darling”. It was not from his father. To Harry’s
knowledge, Harry’s father and mother were never separated in
their entire marriage of almost sixty years. He had often won-
dered if she ever had a lover, but it seemed impossible.

“My dearest darling,” the letter began. Harry folded the
letter in half before deciding whether to go on. Was this some-

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