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"I’? Couldn’t have happened to a nastier son of a bitch I was lucky he didn’t bite her on her shoulder "Call me when you’re ready, okay?"

She san takes a streetcar to the harbor By the time he arrives at the restaurant, it is nearly one o’clock, and the hostess directs hiy, with pale blond hair, he takes after hishis pilot’s uniform--black slacks, a starched white shirt with epaulets on the shoulders, and a dark, narrow tie clipped to the front of his shirt At his feet rests the fat briefcase he always carries when he flies, enia of the air service When he catches sight of Logan, he puts down his an says

They e--and settle in It is a restaurant they have been co to for years The view from their table eer coht autumn sunshine; offshore, wind turbines stand in echelon, propellers spinning in the ocean breeze

Race orders a chicken sandwich and tea, Logan a salad and sparkling water He apologizes once again for his lateness and the short tiether, their first visit in ht and easy--his son’s twin boys, his travels, the travails of the conference and Logan’s next trip to North America, scheduled for late winter It is all faan relaxes into it He has been away too long, depriving himself of the enjoyrets about Race’s childhood Logan was too absent, too distracted by work, and much was left to the boy’s an done to deserve such a prize?

As the waitress takes their plates, Race clears his throat and says, "There’s so to talk to you about"

Logan detects a note of anxiety in his son’s voice His first impulse, born of his own experience, is that there is trouble in the e "Of course Say what’s on your an is certain: so is, Dad, I’ve decided to leave the air service"

Logan is stunned beyond words

"You’re surprised," his son tenders

Logan searches frantically for a response "But you love it You’ve wanted to fly since you were young"

"I still do"

"Then why?"

"Kaye and I have been talking All this travel is hard on us, hard on the boys I’ too much"

"But you were just promoted An airship captain Think what that ht about it This isn’t easy, believe an is aware that his words sound so He is fond of his son’s wife, an elementary school art teacher, but has always found her a bit too fanciful--the effect, he supposes, of her spending so much time around children

"It was, at first," Race answers "But the more we discussed it, the more it s to be siet easier, son It’s always hard, with young children You’re just tired, that’s all"

"Myyou can say to change it"

"But ill you do instead?"

Race hesitates; Logan realizes the core of his announce of the ranch Kaye and I would like to buy it froan’s parents’ horse faran sold off a quarter section to pay the estate taxes; for reasons he cannot quite nah he hasn’t visited it for years The last ti down and full of utters

"We’ve saved the ive you a fair price"

"You can have it for a dollar, as far as I’ards his son for a moment, utterly nonplussed The request makes no sense to him at all "Really? This is what the two of you want?"