Chapter 16: Friends
Reuben took to that first beer like a duck to water. Within an hour—and after three Pabst Blue Ribbons—Bobby knew all about Jerusha, how beautiful she was, how much she and Reuben loved each other, and the enormous obstacles in their way.
Bobby listened, asking a few questions and occasionally offering a comment. Bobby did have some experience with the matter at hand, but he didn’t want to come off like a know-it-all. Bobby had married early—at seventeen—but it hadn’t worked out. His wife had wanted Bobby to take her to the big city. When Bobby wouldn’t, she found someone who would, and that was that.
The experience made Bobby a good listener. The beer loosened Reuben’s tongue, and soon Bobby felt as if he’d known Reuben for a long time. He had a lot more facets to h
