nd。
Chet appeared about ten minutes later。 “My；” he laughed； “you've got an enviable amount of
energy today； don't you？”
“No；” I said； brushing back some hair with the back of my hand； “I'm just mad。”
He produced his own brush and an empty coffee can。 “Uhoh。 Who at？”
“Myself！”
“Oh； that's a tough one。 Did you do poorly on a test？”
“No！ I …” I turned to him and said； “How did you fall in love with your wife？”
He poured some Navajo White into his can and smiled。 “Ah；” he said。 “Boy problems。”
“I do not have boy problems！”
He hesitated but didn't argue。 Instead； he said； “I fell in love with her by mistake。”
“By mistake？ What do you mean？”
“I didn't intend to。 At the time I was engaged to somebody else； and in no position to fall in
love。 Fortunately for me I saw how blind I'd been before
it was too late。”
“Blind？”
“Yes。 My fiancée was very beautiful。 She had the most magnificent brown eyes； and skin like
an angel。 And for a time all I could see was her
beauty。 But then … well； let's just say I discovered she wasn't a fraction of the person Renée
was。” He dipped his brush in the coffee can and
stroked a picket with paint。 “It's easy to look back and see it； and it's easy to give the advice；
but the sad fact is； most people don't look beneath the
surface until it's too late。”
inute； but I could see Chet thinking。 And from the furrow in his brow； I
knew it had nothing to do with my problems。 “I'm … I'm
sorry I brought up your wife；” I said。
“Oh； don't be； that's all right。” He shook his head and tried on a smile。 “Besides； I wasn't
thinking of Renée。 I was thinking of someone else。