For Sure (29 page)

Carmen sat in stunned silence. Terry knew he'd opened the English floodgates.

“Sorry, but it 'ad to come out exactly in dose words.”

As grammatically logical as it may be, Chiac is usually denounced as the epitome of mediocrity, a monumental deviation from normative French, a supposedly superior linguistic form (Freudian slip: ballistic form). Grin/Groan and bear it.

The Cripple would have liked to make up the 58 points by which he trailed in a single turn, but his letters did not seem to be co-operating.

“Could be dat fellow never seen himself in de mirror.”

. . .

The Cripple shuffled his letters as he spoke.

“Dey say dat an aggressive person probably had trouble wid der self-image when dey was little. Seems at some point a baby's got to see itself in de mirror an' dat's when they understand dat de body der seein' is demself.”

(
Clic, clic, clac, clic
)

“An' wot's best is when de mudder's der to point an' tell de wee one dat der, dat's you, an de udder one alongside you, well dat's 'er. Seems dat as of dat moment de baby's all set to become a human bein'.

“Does it absolutely have to be de mudder? Won't de fawder do just as well?”

“I suppose ee would. Don't see why not.”

. . .

“Anyways, wot I'm tryin' to say is dat, if it don't happen, dat's when you get de udder side of de coin, an' dat's aggressivity. If de wee one can't image-inate itself, it's as doh ee or she only sees bits of de body all separated. A body in pieces.”

“Wah!”

. . .

“You do know it's yer turn, don't ya?”

To write a story about physical books, lost many times over, ignored, abandoned, picked up by strangers, then forgotten once again, and once more taken up by others. A novel of encounters, couplings between books. Humans would be no more than accessories in the life of books.

The death notice for Médric Hébert, 74 years old, from Dieppe, appeared the next day in
L'Acadie nouvelle
. The notice was brief because the man was survived by very few mourners and few close relatives had gone to the grave before him.

“Jeez, Chico's de end of de line, looks like . . .”

Carmen had read the notice before breakfast.

“Ya, I saw dat.”

. . .

“Do you tink dey'll let Shawn out fer de funeral?”

Carmen raised an eyebrow. Was Terry serious?

“You tink he'd be wantin' to go?”

“Well, might be. Depends on wot actually happened, don't it.”

Carmen was reading the article about the brouhaha in the house following the murder.

“Der callin' it a patricide.”

. . .

. . .

“Ting is, it don't mean ee didn't love 'im, even doh ee killed 'im.”

Carmen agreed:

“Probably. Even doh ee might 'ave hated 'im, somewhere deep inside, ee must 'ave loved 'im just de same.”

“I don't tink ee hated 'im.”

“Dat's not wot I said . . .”

“I know. It's only dat, on account of ee killed 'im, folks might tink ee hated 'im. Only, I don't tink so.”

Partial list of archaic masculine given names to have appeared in the death notices of
L'Acadie nouvelle
: Abbé(e), Abdon, Abel, Abraham, Absalon, Achille, Adoria, Adorice, Aquila (Acquila, Aquila, Aquilla), Adé, Adélard, Adelbert, Adelin, Adelmar, Adelor, Adenise, Adéodat, Adeston, Adjutor, Adon, Adoris, Agapit, Agenard, Aimé(e), Ajitor, Albain, Alban, Albanie, Albé, Albéni(e), Albéo, Albini(e), Alcade, Alcida, Alcime, Aldé, Aldège, Aldéi, Aldéo, Aldéoda(t), Aldéri(e), Aldérice, Aldin, Aldonat, Aldor, Aldoria, Aldorie, Aldoris, Aldrice, Alec, Aléo, Alfareze, Alfonço, Almida(s), Almonzo, Aloysius, Alpha, Alphé(e), Alphège, Alphonce (Alfonce), Alténard, Altérice, Alvarez, Alvérie (Alvéry), Alvida, Alvin, Alyre, Alyse, Amable, Amateur, Ambroise, Amédée, Amerriau, Anaclet, Anastase, Anatole, Ancèl, Angelbert, Anicet, Anselme, Anthelme, Anthime, Antonio, Appolinaire, Arcade, Archille, Arice, Arisma(s), Arismond, Ariste, Aristide, Arizma, Armanzor, Armel, Arnel, Arnie, Arsène, Athanase, Attice, Aubert, Aubin, Audard, Auguste, Aula, Aurèle, Aurélien, Avellin, Avie, Avila, Avit, Azade, Azarias, Azarie, Baptiste, Basil(e), Bélarmin, Belone, Bélonie, Bénédict, Blaise, Boniface, Cajetan, Cajeton, Calixte (Calyxte), Carol, Cécime, Célénois, Célestin, Célime, Cérice, Césaire (Cézaire), Charlemain, Clairmont, Cléo, Cléophas, Cléophase, Cletus (Clétus), Cloric, Cloris, Clorise, Clorist, Clovain, Clovis, Côme, Condé, Crispin, Cyprien, Cyrénuce (Cyrénus), Cyriac, Cyrice, Cyril(le), Damas(se), Damien, Dassise, Dasie (Dazie), Déa, Delor (Delore, Delors), Delphin, Delphis, Désiré, Deus, Dianis, Didace, Didier, Dieudonné, Dion, Disma(s), Docithé, Dollard, Dolor(e), Dolphé, Domice, Domicien (Domitien), Dorien, Doris, Dorismond, Dosité (Dosithé, Dosithée), Édonia, Edvard, Égide, Elderice, Éléodore, Élias, Élibé, Élide, Élie, Elieud, Élio, Éliodore, Élisée (Élisé, Élizé, Élizée), Elmo, Éloi, Elphège, Elvery, Elzé(e), Elzéar, Émédore, Emerild (Émérild), Émerie, Émerile, Émiliore, Enoïl (Enoil), Enthime, Ephrem, Épiphane, Erenel, Éthelbert, Eucher, Euclide, Eudo, Eudore, Eugène, Eugère, Euldège, Euloge, Eusèbe, Eustache, Eustazade, Eutrope, Évangéliste, Évariste, Évé, Éverend, Evremont, Exavier, Exéo, Exibé, Existe, Exite, Ézard, Fabien, Félicien, Félix, Ferain, Ferdinand, Fidèle, Fidelin, Firmin (Firmain), Flavien, Fleurant, Floribert, Florient, Florius, Fortuna(t), Freda, Freddé, Gabelus, Gabriel, Gaspard, Gédéon, Gélas, Généreux, Gernon, Gildard, Gilman, Gonzague, Guilmond, Guimond, Gustave, Hédard, Héliodore, Herménégilde, Hermile (Hermyle), Hévé, Hidola, Hilaire, Hilarion, Hilairion, Homidas, Honoré, Honorius, Horeb, Hormidas, Hurbert, Hyacinthe (Hyacinte), Hypolite (Hippolyte), Ido, Idola, Ignace, Irénée, Isaac, Isae, Isaïe, Isidore, Ismaël, Ismay, Jacob, Jadus (Jaddus, Jadusse), Jenoete, Joachim, Jonas, Jose, Josephat, Joyeux, Joyime, Jude(s), Juste, Juvénal, Ladislas, Lange, Lauradin, Lauréat, Laurentien, Laurier, Lazare (Lazard, Lazarre), Lazime, Ledwine, Léger, Lélice, Léodore, Léonel, Léonidas, Léonson, Léophane, Lévi(s), Lévite, Liboire, Liévin, Ligouri, Lionde, Lionel, Livain, Livi, Livio, Lomer, Lorenzo, Lubain, Lucas, Ludger, Ludovic, Magella, Magloire, Major, Majorique, Marcellin, Marin, Marjorique, Mathias, Mathurin, Maurel, Maxime, Maximin, Médard, Méderic (Médéric), Médias, Médor, Médric, Melas (Mélas), Melchior, Meldric, Mélème, Mélite, Melquis, Merel, Méthode, Midas, Minto, Moïse, Montcalm, Morel, Moril, Napoléon, Narcisse, Nazaire, Nectaire, Néré(e), Néri(e), Nestor, Nidgar, Noé, Numa, Octave, Odel(le), Odias, Odilon, Odon, Odule, Offa, Ola, Olando, Olio, Oliva, Olydore, Omer, Omeril, Onésime (Onézime), Onésiphore, Onias, Onidas, Onil(e), Onisime, Onisiphore, Onizime, Oran, Origène, Oris, Orphir, Osias (Ozias), Otto, Ovide, Ovila, Ozaire, Ozana, Ozé, Ozélie, Ozius, Ozoner, Pacifique, Pamphile, Patricien, Philemon, Philias (Phillias, Philiace, Phyllias), Philibert, Philidore, Phillase, Philodo, Philomon, Philorome, Phocas, Pio, Pitre, Pitt, Pius, Placide, Polydore (Paulydore), Prémelite, Prime, Prospère, Prudent, Raduël (Raduel), Régent, Régilles, Romain, Rona, Rosaire, Rosario, Rosimond, Rubin, Rudolphe, Rufin (Ruffin), Saturnin, Sélime, Sémi, Seneville, Séraphin, Séverin (Severain, Sévérin), Sévère, Siffroi (Siffroid), Silvère, Siméon, Sixte, Sonore, Stahelin, Stanislas, Stellin, Sténio, Sylvère, Sylvéus, Sylvidore, Sylvius, Téles, Télésphore, Télex, Télexphore, Tenance, Thadée (Thaddée), Thanisphore, Théobald, Théode, Théodore, Théodule, Théophane, Théophile, Théotime, Thérence, Thiburce (Tiburce), Thimothée (Timotée), Thuribe, Tilmon(d), Toussaint, Tranquil(le), Tréflé (Trefflé), Turmel, Ubald, Uldège, Uldéric, Ulric, Ulyasse, Ulysse, Urbain, Uriel, Valdord, Valère, Valérien, Valier, Valmore, Venance, Vénard, Vérance, Vernan, Vertume, Victorien, Victorin, Vital, Vivien, Wenceslas, Wilbert, Wilbrod, Wilfred, Willard, Wilmond, Xavier, Yvonnie, Zenon (Zénon), Zéphir (Zéphyr), Zéphirin, Ziah, Zoël.

Carmen accompanied Terry to the funeral home. On the way, Terry told how Madame Hébert — Lauzia — had always been nice to him. And then:

“I know we're supposed to say ‘my sympatees,' but seems to me, in dis case 'ere, sounds kind of light, as wishes go.”

“You were closer to dem. You could say sometin' more.”

“Such as?”

“Such as . . . I don't know . . . say wot you feel for real.”

. . .

“Wot do you feel when you tink about all dis?”

Terry waited to complete a turn before answering.

“To be trootful, I kinda feel guilty fer having stopped being chums wid Shawn.”

He thought for a moment before adding:

“Bottom line, can't help tinkin' it shouldn't 'ave happened.”

“Well, dat's perfect. You tell 'er dat. She'll understand.”

“Yeah, well, if I'm feeling like dat, imagine how she's feelin'!”

“Exactly, you can add dat! You can say: ‘. . . so I can just imagine how yer not feelin' good neider.'”

Terry thought about it, then:

“Don't know. Seems to me dat's pretty obvious.”

Alphabetical order is a symbolic order.

There were no more than a half dozen cars in the parking lot of the funeral home.

“Der's not a whole lot of people . . .”

As they approached the entrance, Terry and Carmen agreed that they had no idea what to expect inside.

“Dis's only de second time I bin in a funeral parlour in me whole life.”

“Me too. First time was for one of my uncles, when I was just a girl.”

“Me, 'twas me aunt Rhéa. I remember I was afraid she'd get up, sit right up in her coffin.”

Terry pointed to a large side door.

“Dat must be where dey take de bodies in an' out.”

. . .

“I always wondered if dey eder do it durin' de day. We never see bodies runnin' 'round town 'cept fer funerals. How d'you suppose dey get from de hospital to 'ere?”

He opened the door for Carmen and followed her inside. To their left was a small reception room, empty.

“Well, der's nobody in de cryin' room. Dat tells you sometin'.”

Terry peeked into the visitation room before entering. About a dozen people were talking quietly. Carmen took a deep breath. Terry was a little nervous, too.

“Der's only a couple I recognize . . .”

But he screwed up his courage, touched Carmen's elbow and escorted her toward the coffin along the back wall. They had taken only a few steps into the room when Shawn's mother saw them and came toward them.

Partial list of archaic female given names to have appeared in the death notices of
L'Acadie nouvelle
: Abée, Acdée, Ada, Addie, Adée, Adélaïde, Adélia, Adelle, Adelphine, Adenise, Adora, Adrissa, Aglaé, Agnès, Ainée, Alba, Albéa, Albertine, Albina, Alcie, Alda, Aldegonde, Aldina, Aldine, Aldona, Aldorèse, Aldoria, Aldorine, Alésine, Alexcia, Alexina, Alfredgine, Alga, Alice, Alicia, Alida, Alita, Alizine (Alysine), Alma, Almaïse, Almida, Almire, Alouisia, Aloysia, Alozia, Alpha, Alphéda, Alphonsina, Alphonsine, Alta (Altha), Alva, Alvida, Alvina, Alvine, Alzina, Alzir, Amabélis, Amilda, Ammie, Amoza, Anaïsse, Anastasia, Anastasie, Anathalie, Anelle, Angeline (Angéline), Angella, Anida, Anneciade, Année, Annoncia, Annonciade (Anonciade), Anysie, Apauline (Appauline, Apoline, Appoline, Appolines), Aqualina, Aquilina, Archange, Argentina, Argentine, Arilda, Armance, Armela, Arméline, Armenda, Armora, Arnolda, Arthance, Arthémise, Arthurenne, Arzélie, Astrid, Aubéline, Augustine (Augustina), Aula, Auna, Aureilla, Aurelda, Aurélie, Aurilda, Aurise, Azèle (Azelle), Azella, Azélie, Azilda, Babé, Barbe, Baselice (Baselisse), Basélice, Basilice (Basilisse), Béatrice, Béline, Belzémée, Belzénée, Bernardienne, Bernica, Bernise, Bertine, Beulah, Biola, Blondine, Calinda, Carmélia, Carméline, Carmélite, Cécéle, Cédée, Cédélice, Célamire, Célanire, Célénire, Céleste, Célestine, Célianne, Célina, Célistine, Cémida, Cerianne, Charlande, Claira, Clairice, Clairilda, Clairinda, Clara, Clarenda, Clarinda, Clarine, Clarisse (Clarice), Clariste, Clémentine, Cléola, Clora, Colinda, Coline, Colombe, Cordélia, Cordilia (Cordillia), Corinda, Corona, Cotilda, Cyrianne, Cyrilla, Dalila, Daphna, Déa, Decima, Delcia, Delcina, Délia, Délima, Délina, Délisca (Deliska), Deliza, Delora, Delpha, Delphine, Delta, Delvina, Démerise, Dérilda, Desanges, Desneiges, Didine, Dilia, Dina, Dionne, Docile (Docille), Dolcina, Dolorès, Doloria, Dolors, Dométilde, Domice, Domine, Domithilde, Domitile, Domitille, Donia, Doralice, Dorca (Dorka), Dorelle, Doria, Dorilda, Dorilla, Dorille, Doris (Dorice), Édesse, Édeste, Edmée, Edna, Édorine, Edwilda, Edwina, Églandine, Églantine, Elda, Éléda, Élia, Éliana, Élianne, Éliza, Elledwine, Elleminie, Elmina, Elmire, Elnora, Élodia, Élodie, Élosia, Éloudie, Élouzia, Elphégine, Elsée, Elsia, Elva, Elvine, Elwine, Élyre, Elza, Elzéa, Elzire, Émélie, Émélina, Émelise, Emella, Emeriel, Émerique, Emerise, Émilda, Émilina, Émiliore, Émina, Emma, Émogène, Enilda, Enna, Enossé, Ernestine, Ethelda, Étiennette, Etwilda, Eudocia, Eudoxia, Eugénie, Eulalie, Eunice, Euphémie, Eusavina (Euzavina), Évangeline (Évangéline), Éveline, Exa, Exaudia (Exodia), Exéline, Exia, Exilda, Exilia, Exoré, Exza, Exzella, Ezella, Fabie, Fabiola, Fatima, Fébrinée, Fédélice, Fédora, Félécité, Felendé, Félexine, Félice, Félicité (Phélicité), Félime, Félixine, Fémina, Fidélia, Flavie, Fleurette, Florastine, Florella, Florestine, Florida, Flovila, Francelle, Franzeda, Freda, Frédonia, Froisine, Gélina, Gemma, Georgeline, Germance, Gevite, Gillette, Gilma, Glorianne, Graziella, Harmina, Hectorine, Hedwidge, Henriette, Herculine, Hermeline, Hermence, Hermina, Herminie, Hida, Hilda, Hortence, Hosanna, Hyacinthe, Icilda, Ida, Idolla, Idora, Imelda, Inède, Isella (Izella), Isèle, Isola, Itha, Jirene, Josèphat, Joséphine, Justine, Laudia, Laurina, Laurida, Laurinda, Laurine, Lausanna, Lauveina, Lauvina, Lauza, Lauzette, Lauzia, Lazarine, Lazine, Léaline, Leatitia (Laetitia, Léticia), Léda, Lédora, Lélia, Lena, Léocade, Léocadie, Léola, Léonice, Léonie, Léonile, Léonise, Léonore, Léontine, Léopoldine (Léopauldine), Léota, Léozé, Letha, Lidwine, Lina, Linova, Livina, Locade, Locadie, Lodia, Lodiane (Lodianne), Lodienne, Lonia, Lorenda, Lorette, Lorinda, Lottie, Louvina, Luce, Lucina, Lucresse, Ludivine, Ludovine, Lulia, Lumina, Macrina, Macrine, Maddie, Madelaine, Madone, Madonna, Magella (Magela, Majella), Majeline, Malvina, Mania, Mantine, Marceline, Marguerite, Marilda, Marmaie, Mathilda, Mathilde, Mécrina, Mecthilde, Méda, Médora, Melece, Melenda, Mélie, Mélina, Mélinda, Mélindé, Mélita, Mélodia, Mélonie, Melva, Melvina, Memery, Mémie, Mercia, Mérelda, Mérilda, Mérisa (Mériza), Mérita, Métrina, Mina, Modeste, Moza, Nasarine (Nazarine), Nelda, Nélida, Néra, Noelline, Noémise, Nola, Obeline (Obéline), Oberte, Octavie, Odéa, Odélia, Odélie, Odila (Odilla), Odile, Odilette, Ola, Olésine (Olézine), Olga, Olia, Olida, Olive, Olivine, Olizine, Olympe, Omelda, Onia, Onilda, Opal, Opeline, Ora, Orilda, Orise, Osélie (Ozélie), Osithe (Ozite, Ozithe), Osithé, Oveline (Ovéline), Ovilda, Ozanna, Ozélie, Ozeline, Ozile, Palmira, Parmela, Parmélia, Paquerette, Patronile, Pélagie, Pétronille, Phebée, Phélonise, Philomène, Philonyse, Phiona, Placidie, Précille (Prescille, Préscille), Prémélia, Prémilia, Pricille (Priscille), Rébecca, Régère, Régina, Reine, Reinelde, Rélice, Rena, Renande, Rénelda, Rezeda (Rézeda), Rhéa, Rhéalda, Rina, Robéa, Ronaline, Rosalie, Rose, Rosée, Roselba, Rosia, Rosima, Rosimonde, Ruffine, Rufina, Salomé, Sara (Sarah), Saraphine, Savarine, Savie, Scholastique, Sémida, Séphrénie, Séraphie, Sérina, Séverine, Souveraine, Stella, Sylvine, Tarzile (Tharzile), Tharzille, Tassiane, Télorise, Thédora, Thelma, Théodora, Théola, Théosanne, Théotice (Théotisse), Théotise, Théotiste, Thérazile, Tilla, Tina, Trévina, Ulyasse, Una, Ursule, Valada, Valdine, Valéda, Valerie, Valida, Valma, Valtérine, Valtrude, Valzina, Vanilda, Vélama, Vélina, Velma, Veloria, Velzina, Vencela, Vénéda, Vénéranda, Vénérande, Vénérante, Venie, Venise, Venolia, Vercella, Vergine, Verginie, Verla, Verna, Vézina, Viana (Vianna), Victoire, Victorine, Vina, Viola, Virgine, Virginia, Virginie, Vitaline, Vivine, Wilhelmine, Willimine, Wilma, Winéda, Winida, Winnifred, Yvonie, Yvonisse (Yvonnice), Yzella, Zéla, Zélande, Zelda, Zélia, Zélica, Zélie, Zélima, Zélina, Zella, Zelma, Zénaïde, Zénobie, Zéphérine, Zérilla, Zila, Zita, Zonia.