This book is 15 chapters long and neither of the two last chapters is very long. How does it end?
The interesting thing about this book is in keeping with the rules (you can find them somewhere in the earlier posts) that were used in crafting the book, all the excess baggage was ejected in favor of keeping the story moving. Even most of the character's feelings are left to the reader to discern according to their own take of the dialog.
I decided to read "The secret life of Walter Middy". Not the screen play, mind you, but the very short story from which two movies derived. It was a short, peculiar, and to me not very satisfying story that speaks to the indominable spirt of man, but doesn't really speak in a clear voice. I haven't seen the two movies in their entirety to my recollection although I vaguely remember the Danny Kaye version in parts. It has nothing to do with this short story.
I don't think anyone, least of all me, will be totally happy with the way this story ends, but it's not over yet.
Chapter 14
“Laura,” Hyatt said.
“Don’t talk to me, don’t call me again.”
“Don’t do anything rash.”
“I’ve already done something rash. I’ve spoken to the attorney for the aquarium. Think about that when you’re in bed with your whale trainer!”
The line went dead. Hyatt looked at the phone. “Well, I knew it would come to this.”
“What are you talking about, what was that about?”
Guy had walked into the office during the middle of the call but had only heard Hyatt’s side.
“That,” Hyatt said with a sigh, “is what happens to someone who lets their medication get the best of them.” He reached into his drawer and pulled out the pill bottle. It was more than half full. The swimming really seemed to be helping. He threw it to Guy. “You know how many of these Champee took every day that ruined his liver and killed him?”
“No.”
“Less that I’ve been taking.”
“Are you fighting with Laura?”
“Yes, I’m afraid it’s my fault.”
“Too bad, I liked her.”
“Me too. She was a sure thing.”
“Sure thing?”
“We were always right together. I knew we’d be happy together. Our timing is just a little off.”
“The funny thing,” Hyatt said, “is that I didn’t even want to sleep with Truly. It just sort of happened, the kind of thing that could happen to anyone. There was no way I could expect Laura to understand that, I suppose, but I wanted to explain it to her. To tell her how unsatisfying it was compared to the way they were together.”
“How did it ‘just happen?’”
“She took off her coat to show me the tooth marks where the whale had bit her when she tried to save her boyfriend. She started crying and before I knew what had happened Laura was there.”
When Gus left, after a suitable incredulous statement, Hyatt pulled out the pills. The bottle was half full. Laura was going to tell the other attorney about his embezzlement of estate account. He put his hand on the top of the bottle. Then he looked at the computer screen before him.
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