Because I did have a good answer.

I had a whole architecture of an answer — the changed number, the returned check, the attorney’s two-line letter, the years of believing a story, the fact that as far as I knew there was nothing to call about.

All of it true.

All of it, laid out properly, more or less exonerating on the specific charge.

And I got about six words into it and I saw his face in the mirror.

He was not asking a question.