think a minute. Just think it over. And remember nobody’s goin to think bad of you if you change your mind, or for calling either. Just how sick is he really, Ralph?”
“Course if you don’t want to take my word for…”
“Think, Goddamn it!” Ralph was silent. Jay changed his feet around. He suddenly realized how foolish he had been to try to get anything level-headed out of Ralph. “Listen, Ralph,” he said. “I know you wouldn’t a phoned if you didn’t think it was serious. Is Sally there?”
“Why yeah, she…”
“Let me talk to her a minute, will you?”
“Why I just told you she’s out home.”
“Course Mother’s out there.”
“Why, Jay, she wouldn’t never leave his side. Mother…”
“Doctor’s been out, of course.”
“He’s with him still. Was when I left.”
“What’s he say?”
Ralph hesitated. He did not want to spoil his story. “He says he has a chance, Jay.”
By the way Ralph said it, Jay suspected the doctor had said, a good chance.
He was at the edge of asking whether it was a good chance or just a chance when he was suddenly overcome by even more disgust for himself, for haggling about it, than for Ralph. Besides, his feet were so chilly they were beginning to itch.
“Look here, Ralph,” he said, in a different voice. “I’m talking too much. I…”
“Yeah, reckon our time must be about up, but what’s a few…”
“Listen here. I’m starting right on up. I ought to be there by-what time is it, do you know?”
“Hit’s two-thirty-seven, Jay. I knowed you’d…”
“I ought to be there by daylight, Ralph, you tell Mother I’m
