I told the doctor I wouldn’t be seeing him again. “No, I guess you won’t,” he said. I walked out the door feeling really good. Of course I knew I was going to die, but still the day looked bright to me. I walked down to the water. Ducks were circling around and about. A sailboat sailed by. I walked along the shore. The sun beat down on me. I felt as though I might live forever. I sat down on a bench and watched the joggers pass. A pretty blonde walked by and I said, “Hello.” She looked at me and said hello. A man with a greyhound on a leash walked by. I got up and started to walk. A woodpecker was pounding on a tree. An airplane flew over, leaving a thick trail of smoke. I left the lake and walked on up the road. I crossed at the streetlights and crossed the bridge. A car swerved to miss me. I thought, that could have been it, the end right there, but I walked on, bravely dodging the cars. When I got to the residential district, I felt relieved. There were large elms and maples overhanging the street, and people pushing baby carriages. Dogs ran loose everywhere. A man stopped me and asked if I knew where 347 Walnut Street was. I said I didn’t. He said, “Oh well, it didn’t matter anyway.” I said, “Why?” He said it was a funeral notice. I walked on, bumping into a fat lady with a load of groceries. I said I was sorry. She kept going, dropping a load of grapefruit. Then, further on, there was a giant explosion across the street. Police and firemen were there right away. It appears it was a gas main beneath the shop. No one was there, luckily, but the firetrucks had their hands full. I left before it was out. The shop was pretty much destroyed. When I got home I was tired. I made myself a cup of tea and sat down on the couch. I thought about calling my mother, but she was in heaven. I called her anyway. “Mom, how are you doing?” I said. “I’m bored. Don’t come here. There’s nothing to do,” she said. “Aren’t there angels?” I said. “Yes, but they’re boring,” she said. “But I was going to come see you,” I said. “Go to hell, it’s more exciting,” she said. I had fallen asleep with my teacup in my hand. When I awoke I realized I had thought it was a phone. My mother would never be so sarcastic about heaven.