The Snow Whale by John Minichillo

Author:John Minichillo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atticus Books
Published: 2011-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

In the morning Toni dressed Jacobs in a suit of her husband's that fit well enough. She let him use her phone, which he thought was generous since he'd rebuffed her advances.

“Did you get my e-mail?” John said.

“I was glad you arrived OK,” Jessica said.

“This is the first chance I've had to call.”

“What are the people like?” she wanted to know.

“It's cold and it's dark,” John said. “They like to drink. They're like a big extended family. We're going to church.”

“I went too,” Jessica said.

“To church?”

“The bird died,” she said, “and I felt I had to say something.”

“I'm sorry,” John said.

“Not as sorry as I was. I mean, we both knew there wasn't a chance, but when I saw him all flopped over in his nest my heart sank, and I cried.”

“Everyone goes to church here, I think.”

“Have you met Santa Claus?”

“I met the chief. We're staying at his place, sort of.”

“What do you mean, sort of?”

“I need to keep this short. It's an expensive call.”

“I can call you back,” she suggested.

“We're running late. I just wanted to say I've missed you and I can't wait to see you.”

“Really?” Jessica said. “I thought you wanted to get away.”

“It wasn't you,” John said. “I just needed to find out about myself. It was never you.”

“You've had me going up and down.”

“I know,” John said. “And I'm sorry.”

“I lit a candle for you,” she said. “One for the bird. One for you.”

“You went to the Catholic church?”

“Why not?”

“Because they're Catholic, that's why not.”

“Eskimos aren't Catholic?”

“We're Piskipulut.”

“Episcopalian?” she said. “Light me a candle. If they have them. One for us.”

“They might not. But I will if you want me to.”

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