“Well, that’s the idea behind the block party,” Luis said. “That’s supposed to be the point of the thing.”
Raymond and Mrs. G walked slowly toward the subway station together as the sun went down. Isabel and her children stayed behind to party. But Mrs. G had experienced enough for one day, and then some.
The setting sun hovered in front of them, between buildings, causing Raymond to shield his eyes with one arm. He wondered if the light bothered Mrs. G at all. If she was even aware of it.
“I feel like we’re in one of those old cowboy movies,” she said.
“Not following.”
“In the end they would always walk off into the sunset. Or, actually . . . I guess they rode off into the sunset on their horse. But we don’t have a horse, so this will have to do.”
Raymond smiled.
They walked for a minute without speaking.
“You sure you’re okay walking?” he asked.
“Positive. I told you. I just needed to rest for a minute after dancing. Don’t treat me like I’m so terribly fragile. If I wasn’t a tough old bird, I wouldn’t be here. So, had you forgotten that I told you I was going to live to be at least a hundred if I had anything to say about it?”
“No. I remembered. But lately . . . I don’t know. You were so down about everything. I guess I thought you changed your mind.”
“Well, if I did, I changed it back.”
“What changed things for you?”
“Oh, no one thing.”
“More like all those little lights?”
“More like having a friend like you who spent so much time igniting all of them, just to try to please me and help me cope. The world is a tough place, my friend. I’m not ready to change my mind about that. And yet we’re called upon to be grateful that we’re in it. That seems to be our challenge.”
“Yeah,” Raymond said. “Hard sometimes.”
“Well, if we’re being honest with ourselves, it’s hard most of the time. But we have each other. What else do we have but each other? And what would we do without each other? It would be unbearable.”
“I guess it would,” Raymond said.
“But at least I have a good friend. And you have me until you’re in your twenties somewhere, whether you like it or not.”
“I like it fine,” Raymond said.
“The world has taken much from me,” she said after a pause. A silent space. “Or, anyway, it feels that way most of the time. But it gave me you, and everything you brought to my door with you. Isabel and those three beautiful children, and a Luis Velez who threw us a block party, and another Luis Velez who is an attorney and can get money for the children, and that lovely little cat, who warms me up by sitting on me and purring and who never gets under my feet. And even a personal cello concert! And here you have your own life to be living, but you take the time to do all that for me. That’s quite a bundle of good tidings, Raymond, and who am I to say it’s not enough? Who am I to say life took too much and gave too little? I just live here. I’m not running the place. And it’s a good thing I’m not. I don’t know enough.”
“You know more than anybody I’ve ever met.”
“Well, it’s not enough, my friend. I don’t understand the way things are, much less the way they should be. But I’m smart enough to appreciate what I’ve got, and it’s no small blessing.”
The sun went down, and they just kept walking together. Slowly. Into the figurative sunset. Into whatever the world had in store for them now.
BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
1. In the beginning, Raymond uses his small resources and time to help feed and then rescue a cat. In doing so, what is revealed about his character?
2. While Raymond is searching for Luis, many of the people he encounters say things along the lines of “I wish I had more time to help others.” Did the book motivate you to question the time you spend helping others in your own life? What other things do you wish you had time for?
3. Despite the ugliness and unfairness of what is going on in the story, many people still step up and show kindness. Do you believe that difficult situations bring out the best or worst in humanity?
4. Mrs. G tells Raymond that the world is “a tough place . . . yet we’re called upon to be grateful that we’re in it.” Do you agree with her? How does this present a challenge in today’s world?
5. How do you think it’s possible that, after Mrs. G has suffered so much loss in her life, Luis can still say she does not have one bone of prejudice in her body?