The Bay of Love and Sorrows Read Online Free Page B

sleep with Madonna, grew his hair even longer, and read many books of popular philosophy, which continually reaffirmed Michael’s overall perception of himself as a good and caring and decent human being. He inquired about renting a farm and buying some chickens and living in a way like Tom Donnerel lived back on his farm.
    Each time Madonna, who now looked upon Michael as her boyfriend, wanted to encourage a reconciliation between the two she said: “Why don’t you ask Tom to help you out? See if he can get his tractor going up next spring and plough those fields for you.”
    Michael would frown, close the paperback book he was reading — a Kurt Vonnegut novel or some other popular book — light a cigarette, and say Tom’s advice about anything was the last thing he was after. So Madonna would only nod, smile, and in a moment curse Tom in agreement.
    Michael had one or two run-ins over the winter, and gained the reputation of being a rich boy from town, devil-may-care, because of how he drove his old car down a ditch one day for a quarter of a mile.
    “And he a judge’s son,” Everette Hutch said, feeling obligated to be as startled as everyone else. It was also known that Michael said nothing bad about anyone. And this attitude served him well along the road.
    But one night in February, just after the incident with the car, Mr. Jessop stopped Michael on the road, near the gas bar. He was an old man, who had conducted his own life a certain way, and now wanted to give advice to a young man he admired — or hoped would admire him. He remembered Michael’s father as a young boy, and he was one of the few to know the true story about Michael’s former girlfriend, Nora Battersoil.
    What Jessop said made Michael realize that people were watching him, which annoyed him slightly. Mr. Jessop started slowly, clearing his throat and breaking out into a rather loud, nervous laugh every two or three seconds.
    “Madonna and Silver — look up to you a awful lot. They are always talking about how good you are to them, and how you are helping them out. Silver was in hospital, and Madonna had to take care of him — so you are — “Here he paused, laughed, and tried to think — “a real blessing to them. They had nothin in their lives — and look up to you. I mean it would be real good for them if you could help them see things the right way.”
    “Oh, of course — I’ll do what I can,” Michael said as snow fell out of the sky onto his head and shoulders. It was the casual and presumptuous tone in Michael’s voice that made Mr. Jessop frown.
    Mr. Jessop told him the following story:
    “I knew your daddy — I was building yer cottage when you was in diapers. Once I met Lord Beaverbrook — I had three men workin for me and Lord Beaverbrook he said: ‘Be careful if people look up to you — you have an added responsibility — ‘”
    “Well — I’m not that fond of Lord Beaverbrook,” Michael said, as a youth who wants to clarify all his opinions immediately. Mr. Jessop gave another abrupt laugh.
    “No — maybe not, but even he had his points — however, let me tell you, those poor little Brassaurd buggers never had a thing. Never had a bicycle — a toy — nothing. I always thought they needed a guide — a person to show them — and I was hoping you would. I was hoping you’d get back with Tom Donnerel — you two were close once. He’s a good lad, and he don’t like that Everette Hutch. You have a right attitude about things. They will do what you say. So don’t lead them astray. Like with that Everette Hutch. There is nothing in him for them — “Here he gave another short burst of laughter.
    But Michael felt he had already done whatever he could for them, and treated them kindly He gave them hash oil whenever they wanted, and helped Silver split four cords of wood, and talked to them about Kurt Vonnegut. And except for teasing Madonna now and again, he was straight with them. He felt loyal to