No Great Mischief

Alex’s Grandpa dies from jumping up in the air and trying to click his heels together twice. His grandfather dies while reading a book on the history of the Scottish Highlands. Alex is appointed as the executor of his will and splits up the estate between the various grandchildren. His Grandma lives to be 110 and works hard until the end, eventually moving into a nursing home. When Alex visits her, she forgets herself and speaks about her family as though he were a stranger. She recounts her whole life for him, and they sing together in Gaelic. When Alex reveals that he is her grandson, she laughs and tells him that her grandson is 1,000 miles away and that she would recognize him anywhere in the world.

Alex thinks about his early days as a dentist, when he wielded a drill not unlike the one they used in the mines. As he drives home, he thinks again about the fruit pickers and the Masai, the people who move slowly across the landscape as though they are from a distant world. He remembers the stories Calum told him about prison, though he said very little. When he arrives home, his wife enquires about his trip, and he tells her that it was fine. Although Alex looks pale and tired, he assures her that nothing happened.

As he gets ready for his evening, he notices an annotation in the phone book. His son took a message from a French speaking man, and when he returns the call, he discovers that Marcel Gingras tried to contact him. But Marcel has since moved on.

Six months later, the phone rings. Alex answers and a voice on the other end tells him that “it’s time” (225). Alex prepares to make the journey, though the weather is bad. He finds Calum sat on the bed in his Toronto apartment. He has had a haircut and a small bag sits at his feet. They depart, leaving the door open for people to take what they please. Calum refuses Alex’s offer of brandy, leaving it on the windowsill in the empty apartment.

They drive through Quebec and stop for breakfast, taking an order of beans as the French Canadians do. They drive on, drinking coffee and taking turns to drive. They reach Nova Scotia and begin the long ascent. The car struggles in the wintery conditions, and they run into a police officer, who flags them down and warns them about the weather. He says the crossing to Cape Breton is closed, but Alex and Calum decide to continue anyway.

They drive across the causeway as it is ravaged by waves. The red light on the engine blinks, and water seeps through the door. Calum drives on as the waves hit the car, rolling down the window and sticking his head out to see the way forward. They make it across, and Alex takes up the driving. On the other side of the causeway, it is relatively serene.

Even in the dark, Alex recognizes the landmarks. He studies his brother as they crest a high hill, from which they can see the now-automated lighthouse blinking in the distance. Alex takes Calum’s hand in his own as they look out across the scenery. He knows Calum will die soon, and he repeats idioms and mantras in his head.