He came to the door and knocked against the screen.
“That you, Chief?”
“Well I’ll be goddamned, Spinner?”
“How are you doing, old man?”
“Oh, Christ. Don’t ask me that,” He laughed. “Lee Spinner, my god. How have you been, boy?”
“Good, sir, good. I heard you were out here on Tamp and I said, by god, he finally sold the place on Wincrest.”
“I did, I did. Almost ten years now.”
“Well shit.”
“Where you been, Spinner?”
“Did thirty, sir, you may recall.”
“Is that so?”
“You may recall.”
“I was sure you would have gotten out sooner.”
“Well I did, sir, but then when I got out I just went an’ did it again three more times.”
“You did, Lee?”
“Oh yes, sir. You wasn’t fire chief anymore then.”
“No, I suppose I wasn’t.”
“What happened, sir?”
“Oh, I had to get out, Lee. Terrible business with a family of six. The whole house gone up.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, sir.”
“That’s all right, Lee. Shit, nothing to do with you.”
“I appreciate that, Chief, I appreciate that. I have to say, I’m sure glad to see you.”
“Well thank you, Lee. It’s nice seeing you.”
“You sure about that, Chief?”
“Of course!”
“Well gee, Chief, that’s awful nice of you.”
“Anytime, anytime. You get to be my age, all your friends dying off, I’ll tell you, I appreciate a familiar face.”
“Gosh, sir.”
“You want to stay for dinner? My oldest comes around in about an hour and brings me supper. Sundays is chicken.”
“No, sir, I really oughta get going, I just thought I’d stop in and say hello when I heard you was out here.”
“Well I’m glad you did, Lee. You don’t burn any more barns on your way out.”
“I’ll do my best, Chief. You know me.”
Aliactast 