oregon 1:3
I came out of the restroom, and Jack was sitting alone at the table. He didn't say anything.
What? I said. Nothing, he said. Where's Jill? I asked him. In the bathroom. A van roared by in the
street, unmuffled. I looked back at Jack. She said she was going to the bathroom, said Jack, but she went out
the front door. She said not to tell. What? Outside she wasn't on the street. She'd run away? I couldn't
believe it. Things hadn't been going so bad, I thought. Not that they'd been going well, but I thought we were in
it together, an illusion, I saw now. Was she with anyone? I asked Jack, dragging him by the arm toward the car.
A man, he said. What kind of man? Ugly man. Was he holding her? No, said Jack. He went to get that van,
and she went out and got in by herself. The loud van, Jack? Goddamnit. I don't know. How could you not know?
I was shouting at him. How could he let his sister go? Will she come back? he asked. Yes, I said, we'll get her back.
But maybe she didn't want to come back. Why should she? So she could drive around with me some more?
move on...