Andrew Fisher for his unmatchable expertise in dealing with the true professionals of the building trade.
Kelly Lange, because being Queen ain’t easy.
Anthea Disney, a real woman, a real CEO, and a real pal.
Ruth Nathan, my inspiration in so many ways.
Lynn Goldberg, because I still worship you, Lynn. And by the way, when are you going to put me up on your wall?
Dwight Currie, superb book reader, bookseller, book writer, and bookkeeper (except for that last one).
Michael Kohlmann, still “the nice one” and still my friend.
Steve Rubin and Ed Town of Gallery North Star, Grafton, Vermont, for keeping me well fed and well hung.
Edgar Fabro at Copy Quest, because no one can duplicate his amazing talents.
Jody Post, because I miss you and I missed you.
Norman Currie at the Bettmann Archives for his inspirational help in filling the album.
CONTENTS
Ira, I’m leaving you.” It wasn’t easy for Phyllis to give her husband of forty-seven years the news, but she was doing it. She had always told the truth. All her life people had called her “difficult” or “tough” or “insensitive,” but actually she was just honest.
“I can’t take it, Ira,” she told him. “You know I never liked Florida. I came down here for you, because you wanted to.” She paused. She didn’t want to blame. It was a free country and Ira hadn’t forced her. “Well, you’d always supported me,” Phyllis admitted. “Let’s face it: you earned the money, so I owed it to you. But it was your retirement, Ira, not mine. I wasn’t ready to retire. But did you give me a choice?” Ira said nothing. Of course, she didn’t expect him to. The fact was that in their forty-seven years of married life he’d rarely said much. Still, by some marital osmosis, she always knew what his position was on any given subject. Now she realized that the wave of disapproval that she expected to feel had not materialized. This meant that either Ira was sulking or that he wasn’t there at all. She paused. Even for her, considered a loud mouth by everyone all her life, even for her it was hard to say this. But it had to be said. “You didn’t pay enough attention to them, Ira. You needed me at the company, and I did what I had to do. But the children needed us. And I don’t think they got enough of us, Ira. Things have gone wrong for them. Sharon with Barney … Susan unmarried … and Bruce!” Phyllis paused and bit her lip. There were some things best left unsaid. “I don’t want to criticize you, but I don’t think you were there for them, Ira. You paid for the best schools, but they didn’t learn how to live. They don’t know what’s important. And I think they need their mother. I’m going up to take care of the children, Ira. I wasn’t a good enough mother to them then, but I can try and make up for it now.”
Phyllis sighed deeply. The sun was merciless, and she thought of the skin cancer that Ira had developed on
