we stay out and watch it？〃
〃All right；〃 I said； and we stayed there on the las around each other's waists； first watching the bright colors e up in the sky； then watching them fade to ashes of gray。
Sainte Marie； Mere de Dieu； priez pour nous； pauvres pecheurs； maintenant et a l'heure de notre mort。
Amen。
13。
1956。
Alabama in the rain。
Our third grandchild； a beautiful girl named Tessa； was graduating from the University of Florida。 We went down on a Greyhound。 Sixty…four； I was then； a mere stripling。 Jan was fifty…nine； and as beautiful as ever。 To me； at least。 We were sitting in the seat all the way at the back； and she was fussing at me for not buying her a new camera to record the blessed event。 I opened my mouth to tell her we had a day to shop in after we got down there； and she could have a new camera if she wanted one； it would fit the budget all right； and furthermore I thought she was just fussing because she was bored with the ride and didn't like the book she'd brought。 A Perry Mason； it was。 That's when everything in my memory goes white for a bit； like film that's been left out in the sun。
Do you remember that accident？ I suppose a few folks reading this might； but mostly not。 Yet it made front…page headlines from coast to coast when it happened。 We were outside Birmingham in a driving rain； Janice plaining about her old camera； and a tire blew。 The bus waltzed sideways on the wet pavement and was hit bro