At the Crossroads

The great turning points of life are often rounded unconsciously. Invisible tides hurry us on and only when we are well past the curve do we realize what has happened to us. Brace Northrup, sitting in Doctor Manly’s office, smoking and ruminating, was not conscious of turning points or tides; he was sluggish and depressed; wallowing in the after-effects of a serious illness. Manly, sitting across the hearth from his late patient––he had shoved him out of that category––regarded him from the viewpoint of a friend. Manly was impressionistic in his methods of thought and expression.