theurgy “He fainted,” Elaine said angrily, moving away from him. She was soaked in sweat. “Don’t you boys dare leave without checking my husband over from head to toe.” “Mr. Small, we need to get you inside. Can you walk?” “Yes.” Good. Let’s take it slow now, okay? Elaine instructed them to put Peter on the sofa. She brought cold towels for his burning skin while they took his blood pressure and asked him if he knew the president of the United States. “Not personally,” he joked. “You’ll be fine,” the paramedics reassured, “as long as you hydrate and get your body temperature back to normal. You over-heated like crazy.” Elaine was on the verge of tears. “I kept telling him to come inside.” “Don’t blame yourself, ma’am, this happens a lot around this time of year. Your husband’s a little stubborn, am I right?” She wept, nodding in relief. “Yes. He never listens to me.” “Just make sure he drinks a lot of liquids. Anything he likes. Except alcohol, of course. Soda, juice, water, it’s all good.” “Thank you.” “You’re welcome. Boy you sure do have a nice lawn, by the way.” “I’ll be sure to tell my husband you said so.” Peter slept for three hours. When he woke he was in good spirits. He ate three turkey sandwiches that Elaine had made for him and he gulped four cans of Pepsi. “I feel good,” he told her. “Really good.” “I put the thermostat at 65,” she informed him. “Is that too cold? I was so worried. The paramedics said that if your temperature had been just three degrees higher they would’ve taken you to the hospital. But once I got those wet towels on you it seemed to come down pretty fast.” “Feels good in here.” “Look at me Peter. No more going out in this heat, do you understand?” “Yes.” “I’ve been thinking, maybe we should hire a lawn service.” He stared at the sliding door and bit down. “Let’s not get into that right now.” That night when they crawled into bed, Peter apologized for causing a scene with the paramedics, as if he had perpetrated a hoax. In the cold, dry bedroom Elaine applied moisturizer to her arms and legs, accepted her husband’s apology, and switched off the lights. He lay awake, listening for her breath to change to its familiar sigh, and then slipped out of bed to answer the whispers that called from the yard. The heat engulfed him.
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