Kent Haruf - Our Souls at Night

Not yet, they’re too little. In a week or so.

They watched the mice for a while. One of them crawled to the edge of the box and lifted its blind face.

What’s he doing?

I don’t know. Maybe he’s smelling. He can’t see anything yet. I better put the lid back over them.

Can I see them tomorrow?

Yes, but I don’t want you to come in here without me.

They worked in the garden again, pulling weeds and watering the beets and under the tomatoes. At noon they went to Addie’s house and ate lunch. When the boy went upstairs to play with his phone Addie said, I think you could come over tonight.

It’s not too soon?

No, he likes you.

He doesn’t say much.

But you can see how he studies you. He wants your approval.

I just think it’s pretty tough right now for him.

It is. But you’re helping. I appreciate that.

I’m enjoying it.

So will you come tonight?

We’ll try it.

—

So at dark Louis walked over and she met him at the door. He’s upstairs, she said. I told him you would be here.

How’d he take that?

He wanted to know how soon. And he wanted to know why you were coming.

Louis lauem; margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 2em; text-align: la about his handghed. I’d like to have heard that. What’d you say?

I said you are a good friend and sometimes we get together at night and lie down and talk.

Well, that’s not a lie, Louis said.

In the kitchen Louis drank his bottle of beer, Addie her glass of wine, then they both went upstairs to the boy’s room. He was playing with the phone and Addie put it on the dresser and read to him while Louis sat in the chair. Later they went out leaving the light on and the door open and moved to her room. Louis changed clothes in the bathroom and came to bed. They talked for a while and held hands and fell asleep. In the night the boy’s screaming woke them up and they hurried into his room. He was sweaty and crying, his eyes frantic.

What’s wrong, honey? Did you have a bad dream?

He kept crying and Louis picked him up and carried him back to the other room and settled him in the middle of the big bed.

It’s all right, son, Louis said. We’re both here. You can sleep with us for a while. We’ll be on each side of you. He looked at Addie. We’ll be a little group, with you in the middle.

He got into bed. Addie went out of the room.

Where’s Grandma going?

She’s coming back. She just has to use the bathroom.

Addie returned and lay down on the other side. I want to turn the light off now, sindent" id="p5

There was one summer evening when Louis drove Addie and Jamie and Ruth out to ShattuckZ s about his hand’s Café on the highway for hamburgers. The old neighbor lady sat in front with Louis, Addie and the boy in back. The young girl took their orders and came back with their drinks and napkins and the hamburgers and they ate in the car. The highway was behind them and there wasn’t much to look at, just the backyard of a small gray house across the lot. When they were finished Louis said, We better get some root beer floats to take with us.

Where are you taking us? Ruth said.

I thought we should watch some softball.

Oh, now I haven’t done that for thirty years, she said.

It’s time then, Louis said. He ordered four floats and he drove to the ballpark out behind the high school and stopped under the high bright field lights, parking with the car pointed toward home plate from the fence in the outfield.

I think Jamie and I’ll go watch from the bleachers for a while.

Then I’ll get up in front with Ruth, Addie said. We can visit and still see the game.

Louis and the boy took their floats and walked in front of the other cars and along the chain-link fence and climbed up into the wooden bleachers behind home plate. People said hello to Louis and asked who the boy was. This is Addie Moore’s grandson, he told them. We’re getting acquainted. They sat down behind some high school boys. The women were playing a team from the next town over and wore red T-shirts and white shorts. They looked pretty out under the bright lights on the green grass. Their arms and legs were all tanned. The local team was ahead by four runs. The boy didn’t seem to know anything about the game so Louis explained as much as he thought he could take in.

Don’t you ever play ball? Louis said.

No.

Do you have a glove?

I don’t know.

Do you know what a softball glove is?

No.

You see what those girls have on their hands. That’s a softball glove.

They watched for a while. The local women scored three more runs, people in the stands yelled and hollered, Louis yelled to one of the players and she looked up in the stands and saw him and waved.

Who’s that?

One of the girls I used to teach. Dee Roberts, a smart girl.

—

Out in the car Addie and Ruth had rolled the windows down. Do you need to go to the grocery yet? Addie said.

No. I don’t need anything.

You’ll let me know.

I always do.

I’m afraid you don’t.

I just don’t eat much anymore. But I’m not hungry so it doesn’t matter.

They watched the game and Addie honked the horn whenever the local team scored.

I know Louis still comes over, Ruth said. I see him going home in the mornings.

We decided it was all right even with Jamie here.

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The next day Louis took Jamie to the old Holt hardware store on Main Street and bought him a leather glove and one for himself and another for Addie and also three hard rubber balls and a small bat. At the counter he asked Jamie which of the caps on the display rack he wanted and the boy chose one in purple and black and the little stooped man at the register adjusted the back of the cap for him and the boy pulled it down and looked up at them with a serious look on his face.

Looks okay to me, Louis said.

That cap’ll keep you from getting burned up out here in this sun, the little man said. Rudy was his name, Louis knew him from years ago. It was a wonder he was still working, a wonder that he was still alive. The other manager, a tall man named Bob, had died years ago. And the woman who owned the store had gone back to Denver after her mother died.

They returned to Louis’s house and Louis showed him how to turn his glove in the right way to catch a ball and they played catch in the shade between Addie’s house and Ruth’s. The boy wasn’t any good at first but got a little better after a while and then he wanted to try hitting with the bat. He finally hit one and Louis praised him extravagantly and they hit some more and then played catch again and the boy was improving now.

Addie came out from the house and watched. Can you stop now? I’ve got lunch ready. What have you got there? A baseball glove?

And I got this new cap.

I see you em; margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 2em; text-align: H5 about his handhave. Did you thank Louis?

No.

You’d better, don’t you think?

Thank you, Louis.

You’re welcome.

We got a glove for you too, Jamie said.

Oh, I don’t know how.

You have to learn, Grandma. I did.

—

That night in bed after Jamie was asleep between them Louis said, This boy needs a dog.

What makes you say that?

He needs someone or something to play with besides his phone and an old man and an old woman doddering around.

Thank you very much, Addie said.

But I’m serious, he does need a dog. What if we drive over to Phillips tomorrow and look at the humane shelter.

I don’t want a puppy around here. I don’t have the energy for a puppy.