He called the morning a missed operational pivot.

He said a man at my level should have known which fire to put out first.

“An ambulance takes eleven minutes on that stretch,” I said.

“I know, because I counted them.”

“Was she your wife?”

The espresso machine stopped at the same moment my mouth did.

“Was she your mother?” Gavin set both hands flat on the desk.

“Those are the two categories I have.