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The speaker was aa two-year anniversary Most of the people in the roo story at one time or another, so she talked instead about what her life had been like during the past two years It was an emotional qualification, and the applause when she finished was more than perfunctory

I raisedEddie's body, and about spending the rest of the day with soo into detail, just spoke about what I'd felt then, and what I was feeling now

After theseveral members came up to me with questions Some of them weren't too clear on who Eddie was and wanted to deterular at St Paul's, and he didn't speak up a lot, so notabout

Several who did wanted to know the cause of death I didn't kno to answer that If I said he'd hanged himself they'd assume he'd coet into a deeper discussion of the ue, saying that the cause of death hadn't been officially determined, that it looked like accidental death That was the truth, if not the whole truth

A fellow na sober himself, had only one question Had Eddie died sober?

"I think so," I told hiest he was on a slip"

"Thank God for that," Frank said

Thank God for what? Drunk or sober, wasn't he just as dead?

Jiether and he askedfor coffee I said I had to meet someone

"The wo?"

"I don't think I mentioned it was a wo, which was fairly natural under the circumstances There's no reason to think they have a problera she"

I laughed "You should have been a detective"

"No, it's the printer in ives you a wonderful awareness of syntax You know, it doesn't really ot a problem with it It's what the effect is on you"

"I know"

"You ever been with a wo?"

"Not since I've been sober myself"

"I didn't think so"

"I haven't really been with anybody aside from Jan And the few dates I've had have been ora with her"

"How'd you feel being around the booze?"

I thought over my answer "I don't knohere the woman stopped and the booze started I was nervous and excited and edgy, but I ht have felt a lot of that if there hadn't been a drink anywhere in the building"

"Did you have the urge to drink?"

"Sure But I never considered acting on it"

"You like her?"

"So far"

"You on your way to see her now?"

"We're going out for a bite"

"Not the Flame"

"Maybe soot hed "You knohat old Frank would say, Matt 'Lad, there's a slip under every skirt' "

"I'll bet he would And I'll bet he hasn't looked under too many skirts lately You knohat he did say? He asked me if Eddie died sober, and when I said he did, he said, 'Well, thank God for that' "

"So?"

"He's just as dead either way"

"That's true," he said, "but I've got to go along with Frank on this one If he had to go, I'rabbed a fast shower and shave, and put on a sport jacket and tie It enty to eleven by the tied, too She earing a light blue silk blouse over a pair of white Levi's She had braided her hair, and the braid was coiled across the front of her head like a tiara She looked cool and elegant, and I told her so

"You look nice yourself," she said "I' paranoid"

"Was I very late? I'm sorry"

"You weren'tparanoid forty-fiveto do with the tiood to be true and I was never going to see you again I'"

Outside, I asked if there was any place special she wanted to go "Because there's a restaurant not far fro to try It has a sort of French bistro atmosphere, but they havewith the French food"

"It sounds good What's it called?"

"Paris Green"

"On Ninth Avenue I've passed it but I've never been inside I love the naets the feel of the place across The French at"