returned. He might as well get it over with now and avoid a return trip tomorrow. He tried to ignore Colby’s scrutiny as he carefully tore open the envelope and removed a thin sheaf of papers.
“Something bad?” Colby asked after watching him read for a few moments.
“Preliminary divorce papers.” William let his hand drop.
“Oh man! I’m sorry.”
“It’s not exactly a surprise. I was expecting them.”
“Yeah, but the whole situation must suck. How long were you married?”
William had to think for a moment. “Almost six years.” He set the papers on the counter. “Can I borrow a pen?”
“Don’t you want to read them over more carefully?”
“Not really. I doubt there are any surprises.”
“Wow. You must really trust your ex. Your almost ex.” Colby reached under the counter and then handed over a white plastic pen.
“I do. She’s a good person.”
“Then why are you guys splitting up?”
It was a really personal question. Hardly appropriate coming from somebody William barely knew. William’s own parents had received only a sketchy rationale—that he and Lisa had different life goals—and they’d been disappointed enough with that. He doubted that Lisa had given their friends or her family many more details. But here was Colby, expecting an explanation and looking disappointed when William only shrugged.
There were several places where William had to sign. He checked the papers three times to make sure he hadn’t missed any. Then he looked up at Colby. “May I buy an envelope, please? And a stamp.”
“If you send it priority mail, the envelope’s free. Postage’ll be a lot higher. But we can add tracking or delivery confirmation, which isn’t a bad idea for legal papers.”
“Fine,” William said wearily. He took the envelope Colby gave him, copied the law firm’s address onto it, and slipped the papers inside.
But before he could seal it, Colby snatched the envelope away. “Wait! You should keep a copy for yourself.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. ’Cause it seems like a good idea. Hang on—I’ll make you some copies. I won’t even charge you. You can consider it a special newcomer’s deal.” He hurried through a door before William could resist.
William couldn’t see anything through the open door except for an off-white wall and a large plastic mail bin. But he heard the whir of a photocopier, a startled “Shit!” and then some muffled banging. A few moments later, the whirring resumed.
Colby emerged shortly. “Sorry. I hate that machine. It’s even more evil than the printer. I bet if the photocopier could speak it would demand virgin sacrifices in its name.” He plopped the envelope and the copies onto the counter with a smile.
Despite Colby’s urging, William skipped the tracking and confirmation services. He paid for the postage and watched as Colby slid the envelope into a slit on the wall. “They’ll pick that up tomorrow.” Colby said. “It goes to a processing center in Fresno, so it’ll be a couple days before it gets to Oakland.”
“That’s fine. Thanks.”
“Now you’re ready for your big shopping excursion? Maybe you should get a celebratory bottle of wine. I’ll warn you, though—Grandpa stocks the cheap stuff, not the good stuff.”
William wasn’t feeling celebratory. Just… dull, and tired. He wished he could crawl into bed, pull up the covers, and go to sleep. “I’ll skip the wine, thanks.”
“Sure.” Colby did his over-the-counter gymnastic feat. “You want me to leave you in peace or do you want help finding stuff?”
Now, that made William pause. What did he want? He suddenly had no idea.
Colby must have noticed his lost look because he patted William’s arm. “Can I give you more advice? Visit the library. Pick up something really trashy—Mrs. Barrett just left us three new bodice-rippers today. Or maybe choose some fantasy or sci-fi. I read that when I want to fly away from the real world for a
“Something bad?” Colby asked after watching him read for a few moments.
“Preliminary divorce papers.” William let his hand drop.
“Oh man! I’m sorry.”
“It’s not exactly a surprise. I was expecting them.”
“Yeah, but the whole situation must suck. How long were you married?”
William had to think for a moment. “Almost six years.” He set the papers on the counter. “Can I borrow a pen?”
“Don’t you want to read them over more carefully?”
“Not really. I doubt there are any surprises.”
“Wow. You must really trust your ex. Your almost ex.” Colby reached under the counter and then handed over a white plastic pen.
“I do. She’s a good person.”
“Then why are you guys splitting up?”
It was a really personal question. Hardly appropriate coming from somebody William barely knew. William’s own parents had received only a sketchy rationale—that he and Lisa had different life goals—and they’d been disappointed enough with that. He doubted that Lisa had given their friends or her family many more details. But here was Colby, expecting an explanation and looking disappointed when William only shrugged.
There were several places where William had to sign. He checked the papers three times to make sure he hadn’t missed any. Then he looked up at Colby. “May I buy an envelope, please? And a stamp.”
“If you send it priority mail, the envelope’s free. Postage’ll be a lot higher. But we can add tracking or delivery confirmation, which isn’t a bad idea for legal papers.”
“Fine,” William said wearily. He took the envelope Colby gave him, copied the law firm’s address onto it, and slipped the papers inside.
But before he could seal it, Colby snatched the envelope away. “Wait! You should keep a copy for yourself.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. ’Cause it seems like a good idea. Hang on—I’ll make you some copies. I won’t even charge you. You can consider it a special newcomer’s deal.” He hurried through a door before William could resist.
William couldn’t see anything through the open door except for an off-white wall and a large plastic mail bin. But he heard the whir of a photocopier, a startled “Shit!” and then some muffled banging. A few moments later, the whirring resumed.
Colby emerged shortly. “Sorry. I hate that machine. It’s even more evil than the printer. I bet if the photocopier could speak it would demand virgin sacrifices in its name.” He plopped the envelope and the copies onto the counter with a smile.
Despite Colby’s urging, William skipped the tracking and confirmation services. He paid for the postage and watched as Colby slid the envelope into a slit on the wall. “They’ll pick that up tomorrow.” Colby said. “It goes to a processing center in Fresno, so it’ll be a couple days before it gets to Oakland.”
“That’s fine. Thanks.”
“Now you’re ready for your big shopping excursion? Maybe you should get a celebratory bottle of wine. I’ll warn you, though—Grandpa stocks the cheap stuff, not the good stuff.”
William wasn’t feeling celebratory. Just… dull, and tired. He wished he could crawl into bed, pull up the covers, and go to sleep. “I’ll skip the wine, thanks.”
“Sure.” Colby did his over-the-counter gymnastic feat. “You want me to leave you in peace or do you want help finding stuff?”
Now, that made William pause. What did he want? He suddenly had no idea.
Colby must have noticed his lost look because he patted William’s arm. “Can I give you more advice? Visit the library. Pick up something really trashy—Mrs. Barrett just left us three new bodice-rippers today. Or maybe choose some fantasy or sci-fi. I read that when I want to fly away from the real world for a
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