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Make them realize that you’ve never forgotten. I was alone in the backyard of the house at 89 Harmon Drive. JoeStalin and Saddam Hussein looked like sweet, avuncular friends of the family, really nice looking, kindlyguys— who just incidentally happened to slaughter millions of men, women, and children. 722 THE ESSENTIAL ELLISON

n, he had leaned in close to the taller of the two silver goddesses, andmurmured (loud enough for all in the group ) I’ d thought I had it all contained, and today Judy’ s letter came and she said, “ Jim loved you. For instance, I’ m rewriting this essay in my bed, as I went in for fairly serious surgery little morethan a week ago. Perhaps it was only Weltschmerz; but I ruminate about her occasionally, and I’ m more and moreinclined to believe it was genuine thanatopsis.