The telephone rang while he was ninning the vacuum cleaner. By this time he had worked his way through the apartment and was on the living room. He was using the brush attachment on the hose in order to get at cat hairs between the cushions. He could faintly hear the ringing. He stopped and listened, and then switched off the vacuum. He went to answer the telephone. he said. here. Myers, she said. How are you? What are you doing? Nothing, he said. Hello, Paula. There's an office party this afternoon, she said. You're invited. invited you. don't think I can come, Myers said. Carl just this minute said get that old man of yours on the phone. Get him down here for a drink. Get him out of his ivory tower and back into the real world for a while. He's funny when he's drinking. Myers? heard you, Myers said. Myers used to work for Carl. always talked of going to Paris and writing a novel. He had been sorry to see Myers quit. But said he would watch for his name on the best-seller list. can't come now, Myers said. found out some horrible news this morning, she continued, as if she hadn't heard him. You remember Larry Gudinas. He was still here when you came to work. He helped out on science books for a while, and then they put him in the field, and then they canned him? We heard this morning he committed suicide. He shot himself in the mouth. Can you imagine? He lingered for three days, poor man. Think how his family must feel. Myers? heard you, Myers said. He tried to remember Larry Gudinas and recalled a tall, stooped man with wire frame glasses, bright ties, and a receding hairline. He could imagine the jolt, the head snapping back as the bullet tore into the open mouth. Jesus, he said. Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Come down to the office, honey, all right? Paula said. Everybody is just