Read Online A 52-Hertz Whale by Bill Sommer - Free Book Online Page A

halfway house?
    â€”Stanley P. Duckett
    From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Date: October 17, 2012 at 8:20 PM
Subject: RE: Shells
    Hi Stanley—
    The people at the halfway house were very hesitant at first to give me any information about my sister. There’s HIPAA and client confidentiality, etc., etc. But I told them how our dad passed and Elsie’s my only living relative. My voice cracked a couple of times, and I think they felt sorry for me. Anyway, the area code for the number was somewhere down in Florida.
    When I got home from work today, I tried to call and some man answered. He sounded drunk or bored or both. When I asked for Elsie, he acted like I was her secret lover even though I told him multiple times I was her big brother. I tried to explain about our dad dying and the seashells arriving. Angry Guy wouldn’t put her on the phone. “She don’t have no brother,” he finally said and then hung up. I stood there with the phone in my hand, feeling like he disconnected a vein to my heart.
    Best,
    Peter
    From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Date: October 17, 2012 at 9:02 PM
Subject: Christmas
    Hey Mom,
    Hope things are good and that you’re surviving your annual football season widowhood. Darren hadn’t returned my last email so I just called him and it turned out he had a little run-in with Corinne and her new boyfriend and it kind of sent him into a tailspin. But he sounded like he was recovering. Talked a lot about work. Said he had an idea for a documentary about all these guys who work at a life insurance office. Not exactly sure why that would be interesting, but I guess that’s why he’s the creative one in the family. Talking to him made me miss work though.
    Speaking of work, I have some unfortunate news. It doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to make it in for Christmas. John used up all his PTO helping me out after the twins were born and when he got sick earlier this year. I brought up maybe just coming by myself with the kids, and it totally hurt his feelings. He said he wouldn’t have minded if it wasn’t their first Christmas. He’s so hard to figure out sometimes. I swear, it’s like he’s got a condition. Random Unpredictable Sensitivity Disorder or something.
    Tell Dad I said hi if you talk to him before the season’s over.
    Love,
    Katie
    From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Date: October 18, 2012 at 7:22 AM
Subject: RE: Christmas
    Hey Katie,
    It saddens me that we won’t get to see you guys on Christmas, but I understand.
    I was ready for football season this year. I joined a book club, and I’ve secretly been going to the driving range or playing nine holes at the public course a couple of times a week. Hoping I can beat your father’s butt come springtime. Hopefully he won’t divorce me if I do.
    Yes, Darren’s the creative one. That’s for sure. Thank God you’re practical. One dreamer child is great, but I don’t know if I could handle two of them.
    From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Date: October 18, 2012 at 12:12 PM
Subject: RE: Christmas
    I think you meant that as a compliment, Mom, but I have dreams too. Just because they don’t involve Hollywood doesn’t make them not real.
    Katie
    From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Date: October 18, 2012 at 6:23 PM
Subject: RE: Job News
    Dear Abominable SnowManiac,
    I must admit, the mental image of you bumbling around like a half-sedated yeti made me LOL when I first read it, and continues to make me SALOTI (smile and laugh on the inside—I just made that up, BTW) each time I think of it. Though, due to my incredibly long time in writing you back—will get into that below—I’m sure you’re an Abominable Ace by now and are no longer running into stuff. And you’ve probably cashed that