strange.
30 Jonathan Kellerman
“He was kind of upset. Talking real fastwI had to
ask him to slow down to get the message.”
“Okay. Thanks for calling.”
“I’ve got another one, came in this afternoon. Do
you want to take it ?”
“Just one? Sure.”
“This one’s from a doctor–let me get the pronunciation
rightwMelendrez–no MelendezLynch.
With a hyphen.”
Now that was a blast from the past…
“He gave me this number.” She recited an exchange
I recognized as Melendez-Lynch’s office at
Western. Peds. “Said he’d be there until eleven
tonight.”
That figured. Raoul was a notable workaholic in
a profession famous for them. I recalled seeing his
Volvo in the doctors’ lot no matter how early I
arrived at the hospital or how late I left.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it, Dr. D. Have a nice one and thanks for
the cookies. Me and the other girls finished ’em off
in one hour.”
“Glad you enjoyed them.” That was a five-pound
box she was talking about. “MunchiesY’
“What can I say ?” she giggled.
A switchboard staffed by potheads and they never
fouled up a message. Someone should be researching
it.
I drank a Coors before addressingthe question of
whether or not to return MOody’s call. The last
thing I wanted was to be on the receiving end of a
manic tirade. On the other hand, he might be calmer
and more receptive to suggestions for-treatment.
Unlikely, but there’s enough of the therapist left in
me to be optimistic past the point of realism. Re,
calling that afternoon’s scuffle on the
made me feel like a jerk, though I was damned-if I
it could have been avoided.
I thought it over and then called, because I owed
it to the Moody kids to give it my best shot.
The number he’d left had a Sun Valley exchange—a-rough
neighborhood–and the voice on the other
end belonged to the night clerk at the Bedabye
Motel. Moody’d found the perfect living quarters if
he wanted to feed his depression.
“Mr. Moody, please.”
‘Second.”
A series of buzzes and clicks and Moody said,
,,yeah.,,
“Mr. Moody, it’s Dr. Delaware.”
“‘1o, Doc. Don’t know what got into me, jus’
wanted to say sorry, hope I dint shake you up too
badly.”
‘Tm fine. How are you?”
“Oh fine, jus’ fine. Got plans, gotta get myself
together. I can see that. What everyone’s saying,
gotta have some sense to it.”
“Good. I’m glad you understand.”
“Oh, yeah, oh yeah. I’m catchin’ on, jus’ takes me
a while. Like the firs’ time I used a circular saw,
supervisor tol’ me Richard–this was back when I
was a kid, jus learning the trade—gotta take your
time, take it slow, concentrate, ‘thwise this thing
chew you up. And he’d hold up his left hand with a
stump where the thumb shoulda been, said, Richard, don’ learn the hard way.”
He laughed hoarsely and cleared his throat.
“Guess sometimes I learn the hard way, huh?
Like with Darlene. Mighta listened to her before
she got involved with that scumbag.”
32 lonaO Kel/emmn
The pitch of his voice rose when he talked about
Conley so I tried to ease him away from the subject.
“The important thing is that you’re learning now.
You’re a young man, Richard. You’ve got a lot ahead
Ote you.”
“Yeah. Well … old as you-feel, y’know, and I’m
feeling ninety.”
“This is the roughest time, before the final decree.
It can get better.”
“They say that–the lawyer tol’ me too-Lbut I
don feel it. I feel shit on, y’know, shit on first claris.”
He paused and I didn’t fill it in.
“Anyways, thanks for listenin’, and now you can
talk to the judge and tell her I can see the kids,
take ’em with me fishin’ for a week.”
So much for optimism.
“Richard, I’m glad you’re getting in touch with
the situation but you’re not ready to care for your
children.”
“Whythefucknot ?”
“You need help to stabilize your moods. There
are medications that are effective. And get someone
to talk to, like you’re talking to-me.”
Yeah. he sneered, If they re assholes like you,
goddamn moneyochasi-g:cler, talkin’ to them
ain’t gonna do me.no good. I’m telling you I’m