The Spectator Bird

The day of Césare’s visit, the gathering storm breaks, bringing powerful winds, power failures, and “horizontal” rain that finds its way into Joe’s living room and soaks some of his books. Worse, the house loses power, which means no stove or running water. Added to this, their (late-arriving) maid informs them that the culvert on their property is blocked, causing water to pool on the driveway. Ruth is in a frenzy about the lunch for Césare, and Joe goes to clear out the culvert with a shovel. Deep in his labors, he sees Césare and Anne pass him on the driveway in a BMW, half an hour earlier than invited; apparently mistaking him for a paid laborer, they do not stop to chat.

The power returns before lunch, and Ruth is able to prepare and serve her excellent food, but Joe senses that Césare is bored. Césare denigrates both Joe’s new life as a retiree and the rural isolation of his home. Further, he tells the young and pretty Anne McElvenny, with whom he is probably having an affair, that Joe was far more dynamic and congenial when he lived in the city. Césare says all of this in the most jovial way, but Joe feels that he means every word.