Chapter 17

“The Pilgrim’s Monument is a couple of blocks that way. Wanna go? If you’ve never seen it, you should.”

Bill had never seen it close up. He nodded.

They didn’t pass any people on their way to the monument, but there were plenty when they arrived. The stone bench in front of it was occupied, so Bill and George started up the hill to its base. George walked more slowly than Bill, and stopped several times to catch his breath.

“You were David’s roommate?”

“A long time ago.” Bill thought of asking George how long he’d cleaned David’s place, but there was no way to say it without treating him like the help. Then George brought it up.

“I’ve known him since I starting cleaning their place. Maybe two years now.”

At the monument’s base, there were some unoccupied wooden chairs. Iron chains kept them from being stolen. They sat on them.

“It’s really something, isn’t it?” George said. “Like a big dick in the sky.”