what does "they were that close"mean? Burkley reached over to check Kennedy s pulse—they were that close— and felt nothing. He swung back, bracing himself on the tile walls, and held his square, florid face next to her face. He had to be sure she understood. He tried to tell her, "The President is gone." But his voice was indistinct. He had treated a thousand Marine Corps gunshot wounds in the Pacific, he was a Regular Navy admiral, yet he couldn't control himself. He swallowed hard and in a clotted voice managed to say, "The President is dead."