“Father.”
“Yes.”
“You got a minute?”
“Of course.” They are on the porch of the manse of St. Ignatius. Tony relates to the young priest how he has quit his job, how he worked and worked and how the others stood around and ate potato chips and how he got angry and quit. He does not tell the priest about jumping off the roof; he tells him about the fight with Linda, leaves out the shotgun.
“I’ve got to find something to do,” Tony says. “And it’s got to be outside.” Tony is repentant, centered on his problems. Thomas Niederkau, the priest, asks questions, wants to know more. Tony tells him about jobs he’s had, machinery he’s run. He does not tell him about the Corps, about his service, about drugs or Wapinski’s or Rock Ridge or a small town out west.
“Do you know Mr. Lefkowski?”
“The old
