But Alicia appeared unconvinced. “But, then, why did those kids fall?”
“Who knows? Maybe it was just the wind. I do remember that-- it was pretty windy up there. A kid looks down out of one of the archways, gets hit with a gust of wind whipping through the tower… I could happen; kids are small, don't weigh much.”
“I suppose,” she said, and took a sip of her drink.
“Honestly, I'm glad you insisted we come here. For the first time since-- I don't know how long, I feel better. Whenever I thought of this place, there was always a twinge of guilt. Guilt-- that was another big thing. The nuns could make you feel guilty just about anything. You could end up going through your entire life carrying around loads of guilt you never deserved. No, I'm happy to be here.”
“What about them?” Alicia asked, vaguely tipping her head toward the other tables, at which people, now and then, still stole a futile look at Ted but pretended innocent eye-drifting and not hostile curiosity.
“Them? They're just strangers. They always were. Why should I care what they think? I care what you think and what I think, and I'm satisfied with that idea.”
Alicia smiled, though she still seemed somewhat uneasy.
When Bill returned to the table, he sat heavily on the chair, which didn't have the change to groan under his bulk.
“They ran out of ice,” he said, and intentionally spoke loudly enough for all to hear. “It's probably for the best, though; I don't think an ice cube would fit in my cup,” he added, holding up the small Dixie cup and eying it appraisingly. He lower his voice, then, and asked Ted, “Is everybody looking?”
“Yeah, except for the guy way in the corner wearing the hearing aid.”
“Good. They can all take a flying leap.” He drank his drink in one gulp, and crushed the cup in his meat hand. “This reunion sucks. Just a bunch of people sitting around gossiping.”
“You're just saying that because you're not in on the gossip,” Alicia said.
Bill looked at her with mock surprise. “She speaks,” he roared, “and she's funny.” Grinning, he tossed the crushed cup over his shoulder. He turned to Ted, and said in a low, conspiratorial tone, “Hey, sport, I had a great idea. It came to me while I was waiting for my drink. This shindig isn't going to last very long. The last time I saw so many stiffs was when the did the news coverage on the airliner that crashed a while back. After this disaster, they'll probably never be another reunion. So why don't we get them all an unforgettable goodbye forever?”
Ted stared at him, wondering, clearly amused by Billy's childlike enthusiasm.
“Why?-- what did you have in mind.”
“I was thinking we could climb up there and--”
“Up where?” Ted asked.
“Up there-- the bell tower, and--”
“You're kidding, right?”
“No, hear me out. We climb up there-- right?-- and as they're going to their cars below, we-- say… shoot them the moon, you know, drop the ole drawers and say kiss my bee-hind, deadbeats.”
“I can't do that,” Ted said
“Why not?”
“Well, it's a little nuts for one thing,” Alicia put in, clearly horrified at the idea.
But Billy ignored her, pitching his plan directly to Ted.
“Do you really care what these people think of you-- after everything is said and done?”
“Well, no,” Ted said.
“Were you or were you no treated in an unforgivable way in this building by these people?”
“Well, yeah.”
“There you go, then,” Billy said decisively.
Ted sat silently, lost in deep thought, until Alicia could not longer stand it.
“You aren't seriously considering this, Ted?” she asked.
“Well…”
“Ted,” Alicia scolded him. “How could you even think of doing something so childish?”
“Maybe it's just something leftover from childhood-- something that I never got out of my system.”
“Yeah,” Billy agreed quickly, “This would be like-- what's the word-- when you do something that makes you feel better about something that's been bothering you? Cat… something.”
“Cathartic?” Alicia asked
“Yeah, that's it,” Billy said to Ted. “Cat…cat… what she said.”
