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When he returned from the bathroom； he was tumescent。 He walked to the dresser to turn out the light。
〃You know；〃 Ellen said； 〃I think we should give the boys tennis lessons。〃
〃What for？ Have they said they want to play tennis？〃
〃No。 Not in so many words。 But it's a good sport for them to know。 It will help them when they're gown…up。 It's an entree。〃
〃To what？〃
〃To the people they should know。 If you play tennis well you can walk into a club anywhere and get to know people。 Now's the time they should be learning。〃
〃Where are they going to get lessons？〃
〃I was thinking of the Field Club。〃
〃As far as I know； we're not members of the Field Club。〃
〃I think we could get in。 I still know a few people who are members。 If I asked them； I'll bet they'd propose us。〃
〃Forget it。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Number one； we can't afford it。 I bet it costs a thousand bucks to join； and then it's at least a few hundred a year。 We haven't got that kind of money。〃
〃We have savings。〃
〃Not for tennis lessons； for Christ sake！ e on； let's drop it。〃 He reached for the light。 〃It would be good for the boys。〃
Brody let his hand fall to the top of the dresser。
〃Look； we're not tennis people。 We wouldn't feel right there。 I wouldn't feel right there。 They don't want us there。〃
〃How do you know？ We've never tried。〃
〃Just forget it。〃 He switched off the light； walked over to the bed； pulled back the covers； and slid in side Ellen。 〃Besides；〃 he said； nuzzling her neck； 〃there's another sport I'm better at。〃
〃The boys are awake。〃
〃They're watching television。 They wouldn't know it if a bomb went off up here。〃
He kissed her neck and began to rub his hand in circles on her stomach； moving higher with each rotation。
Ellen yawned。 〃I'm so sleepy；〃 she said。 〃I took a pill before you came home。〃
Brody stopped rubbing。 〃What the hell for？〃
〃I didn't sleep well last night； and I didn't want to wake up if you came home late。 So I took a pill。〃
〃I'm going to throw those goddam pills away。〃 He kissed her cheek； then tried to kiss her mouth but caught her in mid…yawn。
〃I'm sorry；〃 she said。 〃I'm afraid it won't work。〃
〃It'll work。 All you have to do is help a little。〃
〃I'm so tired。 But you go ahead if you want。 I'll try to stay awake。〃
〃Shit；〃 said Brody。 He rolled back to his side of the bed。 〃I'm not very big on screwing corpses。〃
〃That was uncalled…for。〃 Brody didn't reply。 He lay on his back； staring at the ceiling and feeling his erection dwindle。 But the pressure inside him was still there； a dull ache in his groin。
A moment later； Ellen said； 〃What's Harry Meadows' friend's name？〃
〃Hooper。〃
〃Not David Hooper。〃
〃No。 I think his name is Matt。〃
〃Oh。 I went out with a David Hooper a long； long time ago。 I remember。。。〃 Before she could finish the sentence； her eyes shut； and soon she slipped into the deep breathing of sleep。 A few blocks away； in a small clapboard house； a black man sat at the foot of his son's bed。 〃What story do you want to read？〃 he said。
〃I don't want to read a story；〃 said the boy； who was seven。 〃I want to tell a story。〃
〃Okay。 What'll we tell one about？〃
〃A shark。 Let's tell one about a shark。〃 The man winced。 〃No。 Let's tell one about 。。。 a bear。〃
〃No； a shark。 I want to know about sharks。〃
〃You mean a once…upon…a…time story？〃
〃Sure。 Like； you know； once upon a time there was a shark that ate people。〃
〃That's not a very nice story。〃
〃Why do sharks eat people？〃
〃I guess they get hungry。 I don't know。〃
〃Do you bleed if a shark eats you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the man。 〃e on。 Let's tell a story about another kind of animal。 You'll have nightmares if we tell about a shark。〃
〃No； I won't。 If a shark tried to eat me； I'd punch him in the nose。〃
〃No shark is going to try to eat you。〃
〃Why not？ If I go swimming I bet one would。 Don't sharks eat black people？〃
〃Now stop it！ I don't want to hear any more about sharks。〃 The man lifted a pile of books from the bedside table。 〃Here。 Let's read Peter Pan。〃
PART 2
Chapter 6
On her way home Friday noon； after a morning of volunteer work at the Southampton Hospital； Ellen stopped at the post office to buy a roll of stamps and get the mail。
There was no home mail delivery in Amity。 In theory； only special delivery mail was brought to the door … any door within a mile radius of the post office； in fact； even special delivery mail （except that clearly labeled as sent by the Federal Government） was kept at the post office until someone called for it。
The post office was a small； square building on Teal Street； just off Main。 It had 500 mailboxes； 340 of which were rented to Amity's permanent residents。 The other 160 were allotted to summer people； according to the whims of the postmistress； Minnie Eldridge。 Those people she liked were permitted to rent boxes for the summer。 Those she didn't like had to wait in line at the counter。 Since she refused to rent a box to any summer person on a year…round basis； summer people never knew from one year to the next whether or not they would have a mailbox when they arrived in June。
It was generally assumed that Minnie Eldridge was in her early seventies； and that she had somehow convinced the authorities in Washington that she was well under pulsory retirement age。 She was small and frail…looking； but deceptively strong； able to hustle packages and cartons nearly as quickly as the two young men who worked in the post office with her。 She never spoke about her past or her private life。 The only mon knowledge about her was that she had been born on Nantucket Island and had left sometime soon after World War I。 She had been in Amity for as long as anyone living could remember； and she considered herself not only a native； but also the resident expert on the history of the town。 She needed no prodding at all to embark on a discourse about Amity's eponym； a seventeenth…century woman named Amity Hopewell who had been convicted of witchcraft； and she took pleasure in reciting the list of major events in the town's past： the landing of some British troops during the Revolution in an ill…fated attempt to outflank a Colonial force （the Britons lost their way and wandered aimlessly back and forth across Long Island）； the fire in 1823 that destroyed every building except the town's only church； the wreck of a rumrunning ship in 1921 （the ship was eventually refloated； but by then all the cargo off…loaded to make the ship lighter had vanished）； the hurricane of 1938； and the widely reported （though never fully ascertained） landing of three German spies on the Scotch Road beach in 1942。
Ellen and Minnie made each other nervous。 Ellen sensed that Minnie didn't like her； and she was right。 Minnie felt uneasy with Ellen because she couldn't catalogue her。
Ellen was neither summer folk nor winter folk。 She hadn't earned her year…round mailbox； she had married it。
Minnie was alone in the post office； sorting mail； when Ellen arrived。
〃Morning； Minnie；〃 Ellen said。
Minnie looked up at the clock over the counter and said； 〃Afternoon。〃
〃Could I have a roll of eights； please？〃 Ellen put a five…dollar bill and three ones on the counter。
Minnie pushed a few more letters into boxes； set down her bundle； and walked to the counter。 She gave Ellen a roll of stamps and dropped the bills into a drawer。 〃What's Martin think he's going to do about that shark？〃 she said。
〃I don't know。 I guess they'll try to catch it。〃
〃Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook？〃
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃Book of Job；〃 said Minnie。 〃No mortal man's going to catch that fish。〃
〃Why do you say that？〃
〃We're not meant to catch it； that's why。 We're being readied。〃
〃For what？〃
〃We'll know when the time es。〃
〃I see。〃 Ellen put the stamps in her purse。 〃Well； maybe you're right。 Thanks； Minnie。〃 She turned and wal