His time is spent discussing woodwork details with a developer called Gottfried Nuelle or hanging out at the home of Sally and Felicity's father, Gordon Baldwin. Joe admires 'each blade shining with chlorophyll' as he travels through acres of farmland and small towns on real-estate business. Life is guiltily good in their illicit Eden, and nature is obligingly beautiful. The contract of their relationship - 'days and times random, possibly infrequent' - makes Joey feel as if he's being 'delicately electrocuted'. He describes his youthful makeover under the guidance of the charming (long dead) daughter of a local property developer: 'It was Sally Baldwin who brought me along, told me what to wear and do and and think and say - she created me.' Now a 40-year-old divorcee, Joe is ripe for further conversion.Īt first it seems as if new romance, in the shape of Felicity, Sally's married sister, will tempt him. 'My parents discussed salvation every day along with the price of tomatoes,' he confides. He's recovering from the 'strict, but not gloomy' rigours of a religious childhood. Joe Stratford, the narrator, is a realtor who enjoys 'selling old houses to decent people'. Marcus's message falls upon fertile ground.
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