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I don't mean to bitch, but in the future I intend to hesitate before I do a favor for the friend of a friend Never have I taken on such a load of grief At the outset, it all seeuessed as co down I came this close to death and, perhaps worse (fora knot on my head that's the size of et paid!

The h my landlord, Henry Pitts, whom everybody knows I've been half in love with for years The fact that he's eighty-five (a mere fifty years my senior) has never seemed to alter the basic impact of his appeal He's a sweetheart and he seldo, so how could I refuse? Especially when his request seeestion of the troubles to come

It was Thursday, Nove festivities were just getting under way Henry's older brother William was to marry hborhood Rosie's restaurant was traditionally closed on Thanksgiving Day, and she was feeling s any business With the cereed to elie to perform the nuptials, and she apparently considered that his services were free Henry had encouraged her to offer the judge a iven hilish that well She's Hungarian by birth and has momentary lapses when it suits her purposes

She and Williaed for the better part of a year, and it was ti event I've never been certain of Rosie's actual age, but she has to be close to seventy With Williaht, the phrase "until death do us part" was statistically nificant for them than for most

Before I delineate the nature of the business I took on, I suppose I should fill in a few quick personal facts My naator, female, twice divorced, without children or any other pesky dependents For six years I'd had an infor arson and wrongful death claie for office space For alreeman and Ives, a fir I was taking a week off, looking forward to rest and recreation when I wasn't helping Henry edding preparations Henry, long retired fro cake and would also be catering the reception

There were eight of us in the wedding party Rosie's sister, Klotilde, heelchair bound, would be serving as the maid of honor Henry was to be the bestas the ushers The four of them – Henry, William, Lewis, and Charlie (also known collectively as "the boys" or "the kids") – ranged in age frohty-five to Charlie's ninety-three Their only sister, Nell, still vigorous at ninety-five, was one of two brides me For the cereanza ely dyed red hair She'd found a bolt of lavish floral polished cotton on sale… pink and reen The fabric had been shipped off to Flint, Michigan, where Nell had "run up"muumuus for the three of us in attendance I couldn't wait to try mine on I was certain that, once asse so much as a set of ambulatory bedroom drapes At thirty-five, I'd actually hoped to serve as the oldest living flower girl on record, but Rosie had decided to dispense with the role This was going to be the wedding of the decade, one I wouldn't s us back to the "precipitating events," as we refer to them in the crime trade

I ran into Henry at nine that Thursdaye that's attached to Henry's house byto the supermarket, where I intended to stock up on junk food for the days ahead When I openedon my front step with a piece of scratch paper and a tape dispenser Instead of his usual shorts, T-shirt, and flip-flops, he earing long pants and a blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up