We’re in Monte, a town on a mountain along the Adriatic Sea. The sea-smelling air moves the curtains and desk papers as if by the seaside. I close the balcony and return to the computer on the desk. I need to start somewhere, so I write:

The wind is probably the worst of Monte’s extreme weather. The wind is disorienting and makes anyone who walks in the open a bit foolish.

I read that paragraph to Liberia, and she commented. Today a man was disoriented by a wind gust and fell down a dozen masonry stairs. An ambulance took him away.

Then she added, A lady told me he was returning from the market.

He must have had groceries.

I don’t know. The medics were closing the ambulance doors when I passed.

No groceries?

I didn’t see any. Why?

I was just wondering what happens to groceries in a case like this?

He won’t be using them.

That’s what I mean. One man’s loss is another man’s gain. You should have picked them up.

I told you I didn’t see any groceries.

If he went to the market, he must have had fruit and vegetables. Someone must have got them already.

I told you there were no groceries.

You told me you didn’t see any. As I said, someone took the groceries.

Are you putting me on?

I smile and wait a few seconds before telling her yes.

The poor guy could have died!

It’s best to see the lighter side of tragedy.

By stealing the guy’s fruit and vegetables?

Maybe he didn’t make it.

Maybe he did, she retorted.

Now you are seeing the lighter side of tragedy. I still would have picked up the groceries. Just think what a laugh it would create to bring them to the hospital.

And what if he didn’t make it?

Then you’d have to decide to bring them home or give them to the poor guy’s family.

I told you I didn’t see any groceries.

That’s because somebody already got them.

Here we go again.

I smile, wait a few seconds, and declare that he must have had some groceries. The lady told you he was coming from the market.

She shook her head and walked away without saying another word.

There had to be groceries, I repeated to her back. But she didn’t turn around.