Dale Gregory Anderson His resolve was draining away. She had a gift for throwing everything into doubt. “Life presents us with opportunities,” she said. “We just have to learn how to take advantage of them.” She exhaled two streams of smoke through her nostrils. “Your father was never very good at recognizing opportunities,” she said. “I’m not complaining. I’m just stating a fact.” Keith knew that anything he bought with the money would be tainted. If he put it in the bank, it would sit there, festering, until it ate a hole in his stomach. “Maybe we should just burn it,” he said. She emitted a humorless laugh. “No one in their right mind burns money,” she said. “Life is hard enough. You don’t have to go around deliberately trying to make it harder.” Keith had a better idea. “I’ll just throw it away. Bundle it up and toss it into a dumpster.” “Millions of people live on less than a dollar a day,” she said. “Do you really think it would be right to throw all that money away?” “Well, what do you want me to do?” The pain in Keith’s head had spread down into his back. She sat there, turning things over in her mind. “Why don’t you take it,” he said. She shook her head. “You should keep it. Put it somewhere safe until you come to your senses.” “I told you, I don’t want it,” he said. “If it’s still in my trunk when I leave tomorrow, I swear I’ll throw it away.” He looked at her. “Unless you want it.” “I couldn’t take it,” she said. “It belongs to you.” “I’ll give it to you,” he said. “No strings attached.” She pressed the butt of her cigarette into the ashtray. “It would be foolish to throw it away.” “Where do you want me to put it?” “I guess I could keep it for you,” she said. “For the time being.” “No.” He stepped back. “It’s yours. Spend it any way you like.” He lowered his voice. “Dad doesn’t have to know about it. This is just between you and me.” “Would you really throw away ten thousand dollars?” “Yes.” He didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t going to let doubt creep back into the situation. “I thought we raised you right,” she said. “Do you want it or not?” 10 u Crab Orchard Review
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