Jack couldn't understand why his world turned upside down. He was perfectly content not know where his long lost father lived. But the letter changed all that and had brought Jack to his God forsaken city. Mr. Evans sent Jack a letter a few months before he met his untimely death. In the letter, he pleaded with Jack to come to the city. He had finally realized that he missed his estranged son and wanted to make amends.
Standing among the spilled pots next to the ponds filled with debris, he surveyed the world below and thought of the irony of the whole thing. Lost father, now found, now dead before Jack could say hello or where the hell have you been, or give me all that child support you never sent.
He may have no choice now but to leave the roof and get supplies. He hadn't left the roof in what felt like years. As he looked out across the park, trees mixed with trash cans and people seemed to wander around in a daze.
He turned away, sighed, said aloud, "Alright, then," He paused at the rooftop door. "It's time I go below."
On the long walk down, Jack had a sinking feeling that Mr. Evan's death would go unresolved. Just as he turned the corner to pass the 5th floor, Mr. Bellman came hurrying-up the stairs looking furtively at Jack as he hurried by. Jack heard him mutter something about a box.
As Jack walked out of the lobby door, he headed immediately toward Grandma's Grits. There, he felt, there may be coffee to settle his nerves and maybe a bit of food.
As he sat waiting on his food, someone put money in the jukebox, and Jack faded in and out of listening "Oh, oh, oh, Call me Mr. Rattlebones..."
"Figures," Jack thought. "Mr. Evans bones are rattling around in my mind."
