At home, Henry does chores and reminisces how he and the doc became acquainted. They were both locals of Thornetown Ohio all their lives, children of two big families. They had grown up together, moved away, he to the military and the doc to study medicine in Philadelphia. They returned, married wives and resettled. They both now are widowers, the children grown up and moved away... That is the doc 's children, as x never had children. The doc now a local family physician, it was only natural that x would entrust his health to his old friend. Thus doc 's concern for x welfare was as much familial as medical.
But it was their adolescence x remembers most vividly... They were inseparable, always getting into childish
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I am a student of paleontology, and..."
X gathers his wit and becomes more engaged... "my tall tale" "how 's that?" "this morning... So you were among the spectators...didn 't know I drew such a crowd..." "Exactly sir... But I would not call it a tall tale, at least not in that sense of the phrase. You see I believe it wholly. I do hope you forgive me for calling on you so unannounced. I inquired your whereabouts from one of your associates back in town... You see I just had..." "A paleontologist, I forget... what branch of science is that again...?" "Well, most lay persons will call it a study of dinosaurs, but I prefer the title... The study of the origins of life." Having stood and conversed this way for some time, the young man thought it now appropriate to bring from under his jacket a bottle of brandy. He had overheard the topic of moderation, about Henry, from his doctor. He made a calculated observation that x was a connoisseur of fine liqueurs, if not a mild alcoholic... It appeared to do the trick, as x opened the door wider with a... "Well we could stand here all night in this drafty old door, but come on in and rest your legs