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about an artistic appreciation of beauty after all God had sent Ian to his church in angelic form so that Paul could help hielic nature Paul had si more base and common

As Paul drove, Ian played with the loose threads around a frayed spot in his jeans They were the kind of jeans that kids bought pre-tattered for effect He was very young

“You ever think about that expression ‘on the wagon’?” Ian asked “They never tell you where the wagon is going Why should you just ju?”

“You , but you knohat it’s like where you are now,” Paul said “That’s probably why you get on”

“It’s got to be better, right?” Ian turned and looked out the

“How old are you, Ian?”

“Twenty-four”

Twenty-four If his life had been a bit different, Paul could conceivably have a son Ian’s age He would have been a young father, just eighteen, but it was certainly within the realm of possibility He had friends with children almost that old

“Why were you drinking today?” Paul asked

Ian turned to Paul and squinted, as though he were thinking about it He finally answered, “Do I need a reason?”

“You must want to stop That’s why you were here today”

Ian went back to playing with the threads on his jeans

“My dad was an alcoholic too,” Ian said “‘Worthless drunk’ That’s what my mom called him”

“Was he abusive?”

“I don’t know He left when I was three”