"I don't know; all I ever do is look at things and try to describe them. Should have been a painter like my father. No talent, though. Anyway, after I took off, I went up to see him and Ann on Deer Isle. He gave me a painting for Kate." "How is he?" "Going with his boots on. Just before I left, he gave me a drink from his stash of Laphroiag in the barn. We had a country music toast. 'Younger women, faster horses, older whiskey, and more money,' he said. I asked him if 'children, old dogs, and watermelon wine' wouldn't cut it." "Tom T. Hall songs," Morgan said. "Right. My father just laughed. I think he was trying to tell me something but didn't know how." "Hard to communicate at this point, I suppose," Morgan said. "What's next?" "Drive out and see Kate. Me and Batman--he's riding on the dash." Joe gave Morgan the cassette from the Weston Priory. "Try this some stormy night." "O.K.," Morgan said. "The damnedest thing . . . I bought a tape of Chesapeake Bay sea chanteys a while back. One of the voices was familiar. I looked on the picture of the group and there was Jason! I hadn't even noticed." "Best banjo player I ever heard," Joe said. "He disappeared into the world of big biz. What a waste. I thought he'd given up on music." "Why don't you take it? I'll pick up another." " Good deal, a trade. So, how's Daisy doing? I was thinking of dropping in and saying hello." "She's in France. She's fine." Morgan took a piece of bacon. "She and Wes have stuck together. Of course it helps if you can nip off to Provence whenever you feel like it. Their daughter, Yvonne, just got married. Jake is in New Zealand, I think. Nice kids." "New Zealand? That's where Max is, Ingrid's son." Joe hesitated. "I remember when Daisy was choosing. She said, 'I feel happy and excited when I'm with you, and I feel warm and safe when I'm with Wes."' Joe shook his head. "Knowing what I do now, about women that is, I'd say she made the mainstream choice. She'd have had rice and beans with me." "Red beans and rice aren't bad," Morgan said. "True. We could have gone the distance, though. Strange how you know these things . . . Not that I haven't had good relationships since. I mean, Sally and I had Kate, and then I had the chance to be part of Maxie's life. I wouldn't trade that for anything, but . . . So, how's your love life?" Morgan's eyebrows raised. "Prospects are bright," he said. "Prospects, plural?" "Singular," he said. "Yok, excellent. And the book, how's that coming along?" "Slowly. My publisher's annoyed, but he's used to delays." "And _The Houses of the Hudson Valley_ aren't going anywhere." "I wish that were true," Morgan said. "They're going downhill. On the other hand, if they weren't, I wouldn't have any work." "Rot," Joe said, "your enemy." "Neglect," Morgan said. They finished breakfast and hauled Joe's footlocker to the barn. "I'm going to have a book shop when I retire," Morgan said.