"Later, he placed a stopwatch on the table to see who would finish first. Then there were the men."

"Men?"

"I always wanted to do a lady, but he said it had to be a man."

"You were painting?"

"Drawing. He used to get so mad when I didn't put everything in. Mike's were always perfect. Five perfect fingers. Even in the dark"

"In the dark?"

"One night there was a thunderstorm and all the lights went out. He told us to keep working; that we didn't need our eyes. Later on, he gave us these cards. First we had to identify each colour, then say what they reminded us of. Green for grass and Daddy's sweater. Blue for sky and Mommy's dress. Black for coal and Cathy's shoes. Red for blood and Mike's fire-engine. He stood over us, writing everything down. When we were finished, he spent hours studying that notebook."

Footsteps halt outside the door. Catherine runs to open it.

"Oh Mike, are you OK? I was so worried, I thought you weren't coming."

"I'm fine Cathy, just fine."

"Good afternoon, Mr Mangan."

"Good afternoon, Doctor. Did I keep you waiting?"

"Not at all. Would you like a chair?"

"Oh Mike, I miss you so much. Are you sure you're OK?"

"Honestly Cathy, I'm fine."

"You're well settled in by now?"

"The hotel is fine. And I've been walking through the town, doing some 'exploring'. Places she used to talk about. The white statue, the prison, the monument. That amazing wall by the railroad."

"The Dead Wall."

"Dead Wall?"

"According to local legend, someone jumped from it years ago...."

"That's where she saw him first."

"Who? Catherine?"

"That's where he met Mom. At the Dead Wall."

"I never knew that.... It's kind of weird passing places they knew all those years ago. I kept imagining what it might be like if we had stayed. He might still be teaching school. We-" continue