They saw Mr. Bowditch sprawled on the porch steps and got busy unloading their gear. The woman made soothing comments about how it didn’t look that bad and they’d give him something to make him more comfortable.
“He already had something,” I said, and took the Empirin bottle out of my pocket. The male EMT looked at it and said, “Jesus, these are ancient. Any pop they had is long gone. CeeCee, Demerol. Twenty should do it.”
Radar was back. She gave CeeCee a token growl, then went to her master, whining. Bowditch stroked the top of her head with a cupped hand, and when he took it away, the dog huddled on the steps next to him.
“That dog saved your life, sir,” I said. “She can’t go to the hospital and she can’t go hungry.”
I was holding the silver backdoor key. He looked at it while CeeCee gave him a shot that he didn’t even seem to register. He gave another harsh sigh. “All right, what fucking choice do I have? Her food is in a big plastic bucket in the pantry. Behind the door. She gets a cup at six, and one at six in the morning if they keep me overnight.” He looked at the male EMT. “Will they?”
“Don’t know, sir. That’s above my pay grade.” He was unwrapping a blood pressure cuff. CeeCee gave me a look that said yeah, they’d be keeping him overnight, and that was just for starters.
“Cup at six tonight, six tomorrow. Got it.”
“I don’t know how much food is left in that bucket.” His eyes were starting to get glazey. “If you need to buy more, go to Pet Pantry. She eats Orijen Regional Red. No meat and no snacks. A boy who knows who Nietzsche was can probably remember that.”
“I’ll remember.”
The male EMT had pumped up the blood pressure cuff and whatever he was seeing, he didn’t like it. “We’re going to get you on the gurney, sir. I’m Craig and this is CeeCee.”
“I’m Charlie Reade,” I said. “He’s Mr. Bowditch. I don’t know his first name.”
“Howard,” Mr. Bowditch said. They made to lift him, but he told them to wait. He held Radar by the sides of her face and looked into her eyes. “You be a good girl. I’ll see you very soon.”
She whined and licked him. A tear ran down one of his cheeks. Maybe it was pain, but I don’t think so.
“There’s money in the flour cannister in the kitchen,” he said. Then his eyes cleared for a moment and his mouth tightened. “Belay that. Flour cannister’s empty. I forgot. If you—”
“Sir,” CeeCee said, “we really need to get you into the—”
He glanced at her and told her to hush a minute. Then he looked back to me. “If you need to buy another bag of food, pay for it yourself. I’ll pay you back. Understand?”
“Yes.” I understood something else. Even with some prime dope doing a number on him, Mr. Bowditch knew he wouldn’t be back tonight or tomorrow night.
“All right, then. Take care of her. She’s all I’ve got.” He gave Radar a final stroke, ruffling her ears, then nodded to the EMTs. He gave a cry through his clamped teeth when they lifted him, and Radar barked.
“Boy?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t snoop.”
I didn’t dignify that with an answer. Craig and CeeCee more or less lifted the gurney around the side of the house, so as not to joggle him too much. I went over and looked at the extension ladder in the grass, then up at the roof. I guessed he’d been cleaning out the gutters. Or trying to.
I went back to the steps and sat down. Out front the siren started up again, loud at first and then diminishing as it headed down the hill to the goddam bridge. Radar looked toward the sound, her ears pricking up. I tried stroking her. When she didn’t bite or even growl, I did it again.
“Looks like it’s just you and me, girl,” I said.
Radar put her muzzle on my shoe.
“He didn’t even say thank you,” I told her. “What a snot.”
But I wasn’t really mad, because it didn’t matter. I didn’t need to be thanked. This was payback.
3
I called Dad and filled him in as I walked around the house, hoping no one had stolen my backpack. Not only was it still there, one of the EMTs had taken a moment to drop it over the gate. Dad asked me if there was anything he could do. I told him no, I’d stay where I was and do some studying until it was time to feed Radar at six, then come home. He said he’d pick up some Chinese and see me when I got there. I told him I loved him and he said right back atcha.