He had also less deliberately taken out his own business card and written Brenda's name on the back of it and the word footage with a question mark. "I want to do the right thing," he said. "I just I want to make sure I know what that is before I do it." "That's usually the correct order," Carol said. He laughed.
It was a short laugh, slightly ragged at the edges, but real. "I miss the game," he said. "Jamie's game on Saturday. I'm going to miss it again this week." "Dave, I'm going to stop missing it," he said.
"I'm going to stop. I'm going to be there every Saturday. I don't care what the sales territory looks like." Carol was quiet for a moment. "Okay," she said, and the okay was the same kind of okay that Leo's final okay had been clear.
Chosen caring for weight. Dave hung up. He sat for a while longer. Then he made a decision that was in retrospect the beginning of everything that came next.
He called Brenda. She answered on the fourth ring, her voice alert in the way of someone who had not gone to sleep. It was just past 6:00. The sun was not up yet, but the sky was thinking about it.
"It's Dave Pelman," he said, "the salesman from last night." "I know who you are," Brenda said, "you left your tie." "I left it on purpose," he said. "Listen, I need to ask you something about the footage." Brenda was quiet for exactly 2 seconds. "I figured somebody would call about that," she said. "Mike said to leave it," Dave said, "and I think he was right.
But I think, Brenda, I think people need to see it. Not because of Leo and Corey, not to get anyone in trouble, but because of what it actually shows." He paused. "When's the last time you watch something on the news and felt better about people, about what people are capable of when they decide to be decent?" Brenda didn't answer immediately. He heard her set something down on a counter.