Chapter 46: Goodbye to All That And then, just like that, my happy home broke up.

I admit I didnt really see it coming. Im aware of the calendar, I knew the semester was coming to a close, but it didnt seem to occur to me that everything was going to have to change. I sent in my grad school acceptance papers and selected somebody Id never heard of but whom Mrs. W assured me was the right kind of person to have as an academic advisor. The semester wound down in slow motion. We had a last meeting of Stoneys math club at the House of Pizza. It was fun, it was sad, it was odd. We were all talking about what we were doing next year. Stoney was off to Stanford. I was going to Pasadena, Michael had a job, Leah was doing some abstract math deal at MIT, Beanie (he hated Beanie and told anyone who called him that to call him Raheem but nicknames tend to stick) was off to do something about artificial intelligence at Michigan State, and Cecil just said he had a job, with an air of mystery. A job? Leah asked. With whom? Letss just say with government, he answered, then started handing us all Xerox copies of a sheet covered with a matrix of letters and numbers as though it were one last problem for the club. Wed already ordered our pizzaLeah and I were splitting one last Everything, Stoney and Michael were splitting one last Ellis Special, Beanie and Cecil went their separate meaty waysso we didnt have much to do until it came other than look at the matrix. After wed looked at it a few minutes, Leah spoke up. Your job is with the United States government? she asked. Everyones eyebrows shot up. Yes, of course, said Cecil. Because this is encrypted code, Leah said. No shit? said Stoney, actually taking an interest for the first time. Motherfucker, said Beanie, only the way he said it, Id swear he managed to communicate that complex word in a single syllable. We all studied in silence for a few minutes. Okay, so the periodicity is one, six, five, said Leah, then mumbled something qbout having dabbled in codes beffore. All of us said some version of Oh, yeah, I see it now. We looked at it and the beer drinkers drank their beer. As per normal, my waster still hadnt arrived. This is a prime number deal, Stony said. Try 971. We all pored over it for a few more minutes. Stoney refilled his beer from the pitcher.

I think 977, Leah said. With that it just puzzled out. I got THE NSA HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS CODE IS SUITABLE FOR SENSITIVE TRANSMISSIONS. I looked up at Stoney, who was looking at me, frowning. We both looked at Cecil. What? he said. Youre working for the National Security Agency? Stoney asked. Lets say Ill be working for a sister agency. What did you get? Cecil asked. The NSA has determined that this code is suitable for seinsitiBe transmissions, said Leah, with emphasis on the capitalized B, probably noting an inaccuracy in the coding the rest of us had missed. Stoney, Cecil and I all nodded. Michael was still looking at the sheet. You know there are lots longer prime numbers, he said, after a pause. That would make it much, much harder to solve. Like maybe a seven or eight digit one that we dont all know. Ill tell them they need to tighten it up a little, said Cecil, trying to gather up all the matrix sheets. As our pizza came Cecil asked us all to forget wed ever seen the matrix sheets. That last Large With Everything still sticks out as the best pizza Ive ever eaten.1 We had a good dinner and made our goodbyes. And then I never saw most of those wonderful people ever again. I lived with Stoney and Michael, of course, so I saw them until we graduated, then I ran into Stoney in an airport years later. But that was it for the smartest and most interesting group of which Ive ever been a part. I hadnt planned on attending my own graduation ceremony but Mrs. W told me I had to go. Even if it doesnt seem important to you, your presence will be important. Youll see. Plus I want to see you in a cap and gown. Okay. There werent any surprises the last few weeks of school. Theyd figured out that Stoney and I were tied for valedictorian and somehow it worked out that our tests and papers were due well before the end of the semester. They didnt officially announce anything, but Chancellor Heard had a nice reception for Stoney and me with some important people. When Mrs. W heard that I was going to a reception at the Chancellors house she hung up on me and called Michael and made him and Stoney promise to take me to a good mens store and buy me new shoes, a suit, some ties, some shirts and a new belt. When I thought we were done n Stoney went on to me a navy blue blazer and
1

Sadly, House of Pizza is no more.

Michael bought me three pair of khakis, one pair of Weejuns, and a cordovan belt. It felt very preppie. Im not a preppie kind of guy. Yes, of course you are, said Michael. Youre one of us now. Stony contaminated you. Buy yourself some Polos or Alligators in California and youll be set for the next few years. Now lets get all of this to the cleaners. Thanks, but why are you doing this? I asked. Your birthdays coming up, said Michael, blowing me a kiss. Then one day some movers came and took away all of the furniture Stoney and Michael had bought for our suites living room and in their bedroom back at the beginning of the year and brought back the university-issued dorm furniture. It was definitely a step down. When the year-end dorm room inspection guy came by Milton and Beatriz had decided not to swap their possessions back to their officially-assigned rooms and each stood in the others room for the inspection. The inspector was obviously puzzled by Miltons choice of clothing and furnishings, but the room was in good shape so he didnt say anything. Michael threw one last dinner party, this time on our original dorm room furniture. He served endive salad with a kind of walnut dressing he called Devils Rain, Cornish game hens, wild rice, Brussels sprouts, and crme brulee. The mystery of that meal to me, to this day, is how he got the sugar to crust on the custard. We were all expectant and excited about the future but the whole dinner was surprisingly sad. The conversation was all about next steps and future plans but we knew we were splitting up. I already knew where Michael and Stoney were going, of course. Cisco was going to Tulane Law School, Milton and Doris had another year but were talking about going to Michigan State for graduate studies when they finished. Brian would spend the summer in the Navy and would get commissioned the next year the same day he graduated. Beatriz had one more year of school and said when she graduated she was thinking of getting her Ph.D. in Brazil. The ones who had another year to go had made arrangements to stick together for the following year thanks to Beatriz exceedingly complex but successful social engineering, but nevertheless Beatriz seemed positively glum. It all wound down. And then the big day came. Beatriz stayed over for the graduation ceremony. Mrs. W drove up for the day, and somehow Beatriz and Mrs. W ended up sitting next to each other. Both of them had a way of arranging things, so Im not sure who to credit with that coincidence. After the ceremony, which I do not remember, it was Stoney, Michael and me in our caps and gowns, and Mrs. W and Beatriz in their Sunday best, standing together in

the closest thing we could find to shade. Early afternoon. Michael gave me a brief hig and a kiss on the cheek, then Stoney gave me a strong bear hug with a lit Winston between his lips. Ive loved every minute of it, friend, he said as he hugged me. He pulled back and looked at me, transferring his cigarette from his mouth to his right hand. Same here, bud. Its all been good, I answered. He clasped me in a bear hug again, clapping my back. He let me go and looked at Mrs. W. Dr. W, you are without a doubt the best teacher with whom it has ever been my honor to study, he said. Youve also been a good friend to Michael and me. It all means more to me than I can say. He then kind of bowed in a very courtly way, took her hand and kissed it, and stood. She beamed at him and gave him a half-hug. The door is always open, gentlemen, she said. Come by any time. Thank you maam, said Stoney and Michael, almost in unison. Stoney gave me a thumbs up. Gack, I guess its over, said Stoney. Yep, I answered. I hate to leave, but were expected on Sea Island for dinner, he said, with a sad smile. Later, I said. Later, he answered, then clapped on his aviator shades. He saluted, military style, then turned around and walked away, Michael at his side, to the left. He flicked away his Winston butt, then sailed his mortarboard off to his right like a Frisbee, and disappeared around the corner, black gown streaming but not quite flapping in the breeze. And then he was gone. I turned to look at Beatriz and could feel my eyes start to cry. Thank you, Henry Baida, she said. For what? I asked. For being the best friend a girl could possibly have, she said. She was crying, too. She held me by the shoulders at arms length, as though she knew she was looking at me for the last time, then pulled me in and kissed me full on the mouth. It was a lingering kiss, and it was the most intimate moment of my life, but it didnt feel sexual or romantic. After she kissed me, she held me at arms length again, then gave me a quick hug. She then looked at Mrs. W and gave her a quick bob, almost like a curtsey. Mrs. W looked at Beatriz with a cocked eyebrow and an dubiously inquiring smile, as if maybe she thought we might have been potential romantic partners. In

response, Beatriz smiled shyly and shook her head. She leaned over to whisper a few words into Mrs. Ws ear. Mrs. W gave an equivocal expression, then said That does sound like him. So, to the amazing Dr. Wertheimer, lady of so many wonderful stories and so much important instruction and assistance to those who are important to me, it was a great honor meeting you and sharing this wonderful occasion with you. And to the amazing Henry Baida, gambler, physicist, mathematician, pool player, and every girls one who got away, I love you and will always love you. Goodbye. Then she turned heel and jogged away in her heels and dress, disappearing almost immediately. God damn it! I said. I was crying like a child No, He wont, she said. You knew this was going to happen, I said. Of course. Rituals become rituals because they help you understand whats important. She shook out a Benson & Hedges and lit it with her Zippo. Id forgotten that it had a Gates logo on it. She took me back to Chattanooga for the summer and taught me some stuff to get me ready for grad school. I dont think Id ever understood what it meant to miss someone before.