Acts of God (12 page)

“To Arezzo,” I said. “Wherever that is.”

“And to see the coast,” Cynthia said. “Even if it's still too cold to swim I'd like to see it.”

“The Italian Riviera?” Mary Jane asked. “That's near here?”

“Not exactly,” Paul answered. “At least we don't call it that. It's the Versilian Coast, Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio.”

“Let's go there on Thursday and to Arezzo on Friday then,” Cynthia said.

“Whatever you want. There are cars with drivers but Claudia and I could take you if you'd rather have us do it. It isn't far.”

“We'll use the drivers,” Cynthia decided. “Since they are paid for anyway.”

WE HAD A
lovely dinner, salad and pasta and broiled fish with a divine sauce and then a chocolate pastry filled with hot liquid chocolate and covered with ice cream or whipped cream or both. Then coffee on the terrace, no bugs, then off to bed. I took an Ambien so I would get on native time and so did Cynthia. Mary Jane is afraid to take pills since she was almost an alcoholic at one time. Rivers said she always just gutted it out about jet lags.

TWO DAYS LATER
we made our pilgrimage to Arezzo. Rivers had decided to stay and go with us. “I'm not crazy enough not to enjoy life after what we just witnessed in London,” she declared. “Who knows, maybe I'll be the one to introduce Piero della Francesca to Jackson, Mississippi.”

“You can't move a mural,” Cynthia said. “I don't think you can.”

“Yes, but you can film it and show the film.”

Claudia had made reservations for us at the church in Arezzo, the kitchen had packed lunches, and the twin Mercedes were waiting with their drivers.

We had breakfast at seven, then got into the cars and started moving. Our first reservation was at nine. The second group was going in at nine forty-five. “You can stay in the church longer if you like,” Claudia said. “They never make people leave since only ten go in at a time. It's very quiet and beautiful. You have the place to yourself. The little town is beautiful. When you finish you'll want to wander around, then if you like you can have a picnic at the ruins of a palazzo. We called ahead, they'll be expecting you there. I'd take my cameras if I were you, but, of course, you can't take them into the church.”

CYNTHIA TOOK A
camera, but then, no one is perfect. She and I drew the first tickets and left Mary Jane and Rivers to drink coffee in the café where Aunt Anna and Robert McArthurs had drunk coffee in the rain so many years ago. The café looked as though it had not changed in fifty years, much less twenty.

“If I get a chance to take a photograph I'm going to,” Cynthia whispered to me, as we approached the church.

“I'll buy you a poster if you don't,” I answered. “I love you, Cyn, but you have to respect their rules.” I hugged her to make up for not being a good conspirator. “Think of the headlines.
Tri-Delts caught sneaking photographs in Arezzo.
It might affect rush.”

“Oh, shut up,” she said. “You've changed, Louise. You really have.”

“I'll be thirty-six years old in January,” I answered. “I hope to God I've changed.” Then an old priest opened the doors to the Chiesa di San Francesco, a church so old and beautiful that it seemed it must have been built by angels and certainly guarded by them, and we entered. Even if I hadn't told her not to I don't think Cynthia or anyone would have used a flash camera in the still, dark mystery of the stone church painted with the beautiful murals of Piero della Francesca. The murals tell the story of the finding of the true cross by people wearing robes of such lush colors it is impossible to believe the paint could be six hundred years old. Angels indeed. Angels for sure.

We stayed a long, long time and then held hands and walked out and went across the street and told Mary Jane and Rivers it was their turn to go inside.

Now it was mine and Cynthia's turn to sit in the café looking across the bricked street to the church and hold hands and drink coffee and eat croissants and write postcards to Robert McArthurs thanking him for telling us about this treasure.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” I said to my old friend and sister in Tri-Delt. “I'm sorry I got huffy about the camera.”

“You were right,” she said. “I'll never forget this day. It makes up for Heathrow, doesn't it?”

“Life on the Planet Earth,” I answered. “Wars and strife and surprises and love and children and art. I've made up my mind about children, by the way. I'm going out and get set to have some. This is our parade and I'm marching in it.” She squeezed my hand and we went back to writing on our postcards and eating croissants and being here, glad to be alive in the only world there is, alive and eating and still breathing and not afraid really of anything that might happen next. We were Americans, for God's sake, we weren't in the habit of being afraid.

September 14, 2002

Dear New Neighbors,

I was out in my yard this afternoon and noticed the man you hired to repair the fence between our property. It's my fence by the way, but I'm glad to share it. Let me introduce myself. My name is Rhoda Manning and I live behind you in the Carl Jeans house. I also own the lot beside us to the north.

The fence man said you have three dogs. I hope they don't bark as I live very quietly. I am a writer and work in my house so it is important for me to have quiet in the mornings. Or while I'm sleeping in the afternoons. I bought the empty lot to keep anyone from starting a building project while I am working.

I was bitten by a dog several years ago and am very sensitive to dogs barking. I know you won't let them become a problem and I welcome you to our neighborhood and hope to meet you soon. If you see me in the backyard please call and come over.

There used to be a stile between our yards but the past owner of your house asked me to take it down as he had a nice, quiet sheepdog who liked to escape by climbing it.

I miss the stile. I used to climb it pulling hoses to water the trees on the lot. I hope you enjoy the trees, especially this fall when they turn glorious colors. There are six sugar maples, three oaks, and one lonely little dogwood that isn't doing very well. The daughter of our neighbors on the other side, Jenny and Bob Hingis, used to water the trees for me when she and they were young. She is a gifted pianist who is at the University of Chicago now studying music. Anyway, welcome to Lighton Trail.

With all good wishes,

Rhoda Manning

September 29, 2002

Dear Neighbors,

I hate to complain but your dogs have been barking all afternoon for several weeks now and I can't get any work done and can't sleep. I get up early to work and need to sleep in the afternoon as I am not young. I am sixty-seven.

I'm sure you will fix this problem. I'm really sorry we haven't met. I came by to meet you but you weren't there so I went home and wrote this letter. My phone number is 443-5566. Please call or come over and we can talk. Also, forgive that pile of lumber on the lot. The past owner of your house threw it over there and promised to move it, but he never did. I'm sure he just forgot. Anyway, please put the dogs up in the afternoon while I'm trying to sleep.

All good wishes,

Rhoda Manning

Jennings, Harding, Young, Catesby and Foster

Attorneys at Law

13 Centre Street

Michlen, Mississippi

Dear Ms. Manning,

Thank you for your letter welcoming us to the neighborhood. We are sorry our dogs are disturbing you but this is a neighborhood and dogs bark and noise is made. We are making every effort to keep our dogs quiet but we can't be expected to live our lives so that you can take two-hour naps in the afternoon.

As to the mess on the lot I am not responsible for verbal agreements you made with Mr. Horn.

I love my animals and will keep your letters in case anything unusual happens to them. I would take it very seriously if any harm came to them.

Sincerely,

Layton Morris Foster

October 3, 2002

To Thomas Little, Attorney at Law

Jackson Mississippi

Dear Thomas,

I am enclosing this threatening letter I got from my new neighbor. I wrote him two nice, kind letters welcoming him to the neighborhood and asking him not to let his dogs bark. I didn't hear anything after the first one and after the second one I got this. It's true I don't like dogs much, especially since the Deneves' dog practically destroyed my right leg. You got me ten thousand dollars for that, if you remember. I should have taken your advice and held out for more as I have a terrible scar as you predicted I would. Plus, my fear of strange dogs. Anyway, imagine the nerve of this guy saying he will save my letters. Not to mention writing to me on law firm stationery. I wish I could tell him my cousin is the Chief Justice of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals but I'm too well raised to tell him. Maybe you should tell him.

Will you write him a letter? If that doesn't work we can tell one of his senior partners what he's doing to me. I work out at the gym with Bob Harding and used to fuck Terry Jennings.

I love you. Stay well and let's have lunch soon. I miss you.

Rhoda

Dear Rhoda,

I'll talk to the city attorney about it first. Then we can go to Bob Harding and ask him to jerk Mr. Foster's string. He's probably some hot-shot kid just out of law school. Sorry about the dogs keeping you from sleeping. That's always so annoying. Anna and I have been wondering why you don't come to Jackson. Where have you been? We need to talk about the new episodes of
The Sopranos.

All best,

Thomas

Later –

I talked to the city attorney and he said this Foster kid was handling a matter for them so it's tricky for him to get involved but he'll say something to him when they meet next week to talk about the city's case. Someone's suing the city jail.

Be of good cheer. I'll always take care of you.

I think the third episode was pure genius but can't get anyone around here to agree with me. Anna won't watch it, says it's too violent. Let me hear from you.

Love,

Thomas

I have a trial coming up on the coast. I'll get in touch when I come back. It's Murder One. I'm too old for this.

November 5, 2002

Memo: From Rhoda Katherine Manning to all my neighbors

Help! I know I am not the only one who is being driven crazy by the pack of dogs Layton Foster has put in his backyard. They bark all night and they bark all day. If I go out in my backyard they charge the fence (my fence) and act like they are going to tear me to pieces. I am sleepless. I am enraged and the city dog-control people are not being very helpful. Please get back to me if you share this problem.

November 6, 2002

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Foster,

We, along with Rhoda Manning and Olivia and William Carter, being greatly distressed due to the behavior of your dogs, are sending you this formal complaint.

Ever since you moved into your house this problem has been growing. The dogs bark continuously while you are gone. If any of us go out into our backyards they throw themselves against our fences and bark and threaten us. I am afraid to let my grandchildren in the backyard for fear the black one will bite them through my flimsy fence. When we try to work in our garden or trim our hedges they bark continuously. If we even open our screen doors they rush to the fence and bark and threaten us. Also they are trying to dig through the fence.

All of us have also heard them barking at night. We have all made complaints to city officials and we know they have called you to register our complaints but you have done nothing to stop the behavior of your dogs. We hope you and your wife will meet with us about this problem. Otherwise we will all five take the matter to the City Prosecutor and proceed accordingly.

Please call and let us know if you want to meet with us. Our phone number is 998-7766.

Yours Truly,

Jenny and Bob Hingis

Copies to:

Rhoda Manning

Olivia and William Carter

Harvey Colten, M.D. (Behind Lighton Trail on Corner of Amethyst Hill and Rockcrest)

Dear Dr. and Mrs. Foster,

My husband and I are joining Rhoda Manning and Jenny and Bob Hingis in their complaint against your animals. We are animal lovers ourselves and have an aging dog and two gravely ill cats. Wes spend most of our reserve cash at the veterinarian's trying to keep those cats alive. So you can see this is not about your having animals in general. It is about the constant barking that has caused us to stay inside during the lovely fall weather. We spent sixty thousand dollars to have a porch built on the back of our house so we could enjoy our yard in the nice weather. Now, when we go out on the porch, all we see are dogs barking and threatening us at our fence. This is especially disturbing when we have company. Children won't go in our yard because the black dog throws himself against the fence.

Yours sincerely,

William and Olivia Carter

Copies to:

Rhoda Manning

Jenny and Bob Hingis

Harvey Colton, M.D. (house on corner)

Thomas Little, Attorney at Law

November 18, 2002

Dear Rhoda Manning, Jenny and Bob Hingis, William and Olivia Carter, Harvey Colton, M.D.,

When I bought this house I was told by the Harrisons that this was a friendly neighborhood. So far none of you have stopped by to tell us hello or introduce yourselves. I have had these dogs for many years. They are not a nuisance and no one has ever complained about them before. They only bark when they are excited. There have been a lot of workmen in our backyard since we bought the house. Also, the cable people were digging both in my yard and on Ms. Manning's lot and that has disturbed them. What do you all want me to do? I cannot leave the poor creatures inside all day. Nor, as Miss Manning suggested, do we want to build new fences in our yard, cutting our yard in two for all practical purposes, in order to keep them away from your fences. Please stop leaving ugly letters in my mailbox or this is going to stop being a neighborhood affair. As I told Ms. Manning, I am saving all the letters. If anything untoward ever happens to my dogs I will have them.

Yours sincerely,

Layton Foster

November 20, 2002

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Foster,

Please be advised that on Saturday I am having my back fence removed. It is old and flimsy and I am planning on replacing it with dogwood trees and azalea bushes along the fence row in the spring.

Yours sincerely,

Rhoda Manning

Copies to Bob and Jenny Hingis, Olivia and William Carter, Thomas Little, Attorney at Law, Harvey Colton, M.D.

Dear Rhoda,

We are elated that you are taking down your fence! ! ! ! ! ! ! I don't think we are getting anywhere with the Fosters. They are lying about everything. I went over to talk to their old neighbors and people on both sides said their dogs barked night and day (incessantly) when they lived there and they did nothing to stop it, even when they were in the yard with them.

Bob and I are afraid they will poison or shoot one of the dogs and try to blame it on us. He has already threatened both you and us with that possibility. Are you sure your lawyer in Jackson is staying on top of this? Bob thinks we should take all the correspondences to our lawyer also and file some sort of suit.

Our worry is that the dogs will get sick and he'll say we poisoned them. Even the allegation would be damaging to any of us, as we all have positions in the community. My cousin, Arthur Williams, is an attorney and would take care of this if you aren't sure your attorney in Jackson is doing it. Give us a call.

Thanks for your time,

Jenny Hingis

Bob Hingis

Copies to:

Harvey Colton, M.D.

Olivia and William Carter

Arthur Williams, Atty. At Law

Thomas Little, Atty. At Law

November 22, 2002

Dear Squabbling Neighbors,

I live in the yellow three-story house with the metal roof across the street from Rhoda Manning's lot and cater-cornered (sp?) from the alleged threatening and barking dogs. Yes, they bark. But mostly in the daytime and that's a blessing.

The Fosters have been putting copies of all your correspondence in my mailbox and although I had decided to recuse myself from your fun and games I have decided to take this opportunity to write to all of you about the cruelty and stupidity of keeping dogs for pets in the city to begin with.

Dogs are herd animals. They mark territory and defend it, mate when they smell a female in heat, follow alpha males to search for food, defecate to leave messages, carry ticks, fleas, and parasites from one place to another (they are the servants of their parasites, as we are also, but that's another matter). They are also funny and friendly and love to run and bark and show off and fight, all perfectly understandable mammalian behavior.

In order to turn them into PETS (disgusting word) and use them for surrogate children, love objects, or followers (this is very important especially to people who can't engender respect and love in their peers), modern man has decided to overfeed them, tie them up, pen them up, bore them to death, neuter them, drag them around on leashes for “walks,” and in other words treat them like prisoners. If they bark we throw water on them, put collars on them that give them electric shocks, squirt unpleasant odors into their nostrils, or tie them up in dark garages.

If you need to keep animals for friends and surrogate children you should move out to the country where they can run free and mate and have lives. IF you insist on keeping them in the city you must clean up their feces and keep them quiet. You are all dogs as far as I am concerned and so far away from any real humanity it is laughable to read your letters and your pitiful attempts to appear rational.

From my reading of your letters it looks to me like all of you keep dogs for prisoners except Ms. Manning, and she says the only reason she stopped is that one bit her.

My advice to all of you is to take all the dogs out into the country and turn them loose so they will have at least a few days of freedom in their lives. Then come back to town, put on sackcloth and ashes, and sign up to teach children to read and do math.

Harvey Colton, M.D.,

Author of
We Come from Risen
Apes, Not Fallen Angels

Harvard University Press, 1986

Copies to:

R. Manning

B and J Hingis

Fosters

Carters

Little and Bordeaux, Attorneys at Law

14 Lafayette Street

Jackson, Mississippi

November 27, 2002

Dear Rhoda,

I think this needs to be settled before you end up in a law suit and I have to handle it. Please try to get everyone together at your house next weekend and I'll come and join you. I can't do it any sooner because I have to be on the coast until then.