quot;Henry,Ivegiventhisthinganhouralready.Letmeseeittotheend."

    Tessgedmylife,gedeverything.Afterourimpromptupiic,wesaweachothereverydayofthatwonderfulsummer.Iremembersittingsidebysideonaparkbench,lunchesonourlaps,talkinginthebrilliantsunshine.Shewouldturntome,herfacebathedinbrightness,sothatIwouldhavetoshademyeyestolookather,aoldmestoriesthatfedmydesireformorestories,sothatImightknowherandnetasingleline.Ilovedeachactaltouch,theheatofher,thewayshemademefeelaliveandfullyhuman.

    OntheFourthofJuly,Oscarclosedthebarandinvitednearlyhalfthetoiigtheriverbank.Hehadarrahecelebrationingratitudetoallofthepeoplewhohadhelpedintheseardrescueofhisnephew,forthepoliandfiremen,doctorsandnurses,allofLittleOscarssatesandteachers,thevolunteers—suchasmyself,Jimmy,andGee—theLovesandalltheirassortedrelatives,apriestortwoinmufti,andtheiablehangers-on.Agreatfeastwasordered.Piginapit.Chi,hamburgers,hotdogs.andwatermelontruckedinfromdownsouth.Kegsofbeer,bottlesofthehardstuff,tubsofidsodasfortheyoungsters,acakespeciallymadeiyfortheoccasion—asbigasapiictable,ired,white,andbluewithagoldTHANKYOUinglitteringscript.Thepartybeganatfouriernoonandlastedallnight.Whenitbecamedarkenough,acrewoffiremenshotoffafireworksdisplay,fadingsparklersanddlespoppingandfizziheyhittheriver.Ourtown,likemanyplaAmericaatthetime,wasdividedbythewar,butweputVietnamandthemarchesbehindusindeferehecelebration.

    Inthelanguorousheat.Tesslookeddeliciousthatevening,aile,andbrightlightsinhereyes.Imetallofhercoworkers,th