A truck door slams. Tree limbs with beads of ice on them. Nothing’s in bloom. It’s all dead still. Brown grass, withered rose bushes, no life in the garden. He sits inside his trailer home and hears a knock on the door.

Open up Levi, the man says. Come on now. Open up. It’s freezing out here, his voice raised.

I’m coming. Hold your horses. Levi puts out his cigarette in a Folgers coffee can with brown water in the bottom of it; floating butts.

What took you so long? the man asks.

Oh. It’s you.

Gonna invite me in?

I suppose.

The man enters the trailer. Various pictures of naked women are up on the wall. A stack of Hustlers in the corner. A couch that’s seen better days.

Can I have a seat?

Make yourself at home. You will, anyway, Levi says.

It’s about Joan.

What about her?

She wants to see you. The man folds his arms to keep warm.

She sent you to tell me that?

Yeah. Strange, ain’t it? My wife. Your ex-wife. Just kind of weird, I guess, says the man.

I don’t have much use for her, Levi  tells him. Our thing was done years ago. She hated me. I hated her. Marriage. You know the deal.

The man laughs. He pulls out a pack of Lucky Strikes and offers one to Levi. Levi takes it.

I figured you were getting low, the man says. You can keep the pack if you want.

Not my brand. But beggars can’t be choosers. Levi places the pack in his coat pocket.

Don’t you have any heat?

Didn’t pay the bill. Besides. It’s spring. 

Right, he smiles. She’s dying, Levi. 

That so?

Yeah. She is. She wants to talk to you. 

No can do, sir. My hands are clean.

You owe it to her, the man says.

I don’t owe her nothing.

All those times you cheated on her. She wants to get the air clear before she passes on.

I cheated one time. She thought I did a hundred times. No. I will not do it. I told her I was sorry years ago when it happened. Tell her I wish her good luck.

Alright. I will. I’ll tell her. I’m gonna leave now, Levi. You take care of yourself. Hear?

Sure. Let me ask you something?

Yeah?

Do you love her? I mean, really love her?

Does anybody really love anyone?