Linger Awhile

44 Grace Kowalski

8 February 2004 Artie rang me up and told me about his plans for scattering the ashes but I said let’s not scatter Irv in the winter when it’s all cold and grey and raining, let’s do it in the spring or maybe summer. Irv won’t mind waiting a little.

I’ve got him on a shelf in my studio. Sometimes I hold the biscuit tin in my lap and have a drink while I talk to him. ‘What’s a month or two between friends?’ I say. ‘This is Grace talking to you, Irv. Linger awhile, OK?’