11th day today. Soon it'll be 13th day. Soon they will pick their bags quietly and leave without telling, as the custom requires. Soon they will begin to pack her things and put them away. Soon a body will rise from the living room chair with a sigh, see the computer turned off and turned away, go into kitchen for some more tea and experience an inexplicable tug of emotion. You see, there is one way we can reconcile: that the pain and hurt no longer toils her. The sadness of her passing belongs entirely to us but this sadness never touches her even a bit. Isn't that a beautiful thing? There is a William Maxwell's poignant story called "The half-crazy woman." Dear Lalita, when you meet this woman, would you talk to her for a few minutes?
P.S. You can read William Maxwell's story here.
