Canada, 1946
I understood that my job, in part, was to turn people away. I was reasonably good at it – adequate, in any case, as we remained alone with few intrusions. The ladies stayed in and I kept other people out. We each had our habits, our rhythms, and these became our lives. It was surprisingly easy to stay in once it became a daily routine. Newspapers, magazines and books were delivered each week, so we were not without contact with the outside world. I placed them on the table in the hall and Sveva carried them away, the papers returning to the breakfast table the next day. Ofelia read no papers. I read some, then stacked them by the fire as starter. Sveva ordered her novels and books about scientific discovery every month and read through them so quickly, she was often finished
