Summary

In Section 1, Bill Hodges, a retired police officer, drinks beer as he watches a television talk show. Next to him on the table is a .38 Smith and Wesson M and P revolver which he pats occasionally. This has become his daily habit since his retirement. He considers using the gun to kill himself and thinks if he could drink he might put off his eventual death for a year or two. He is distracted from his thoughts by the sound of his mail being delivered.

In Section 2, among Hodges’ pieces of mail is a letter with a smiley face emoticon where the return address should be. He recognizes the symbol. It brings back bad memories.

In Section 3, as Hodges reads the letter that first congratulates him on his retirement, he thinks the writer’s description of a cop’s retirement party is...