things worse。 “No; Patsy! I want to know why your father has the energy and inclination to
befriend a plete stranger when hes never done so
much as toss a baseball around with his own grandson!”
Well; yeah! I thought。 But then I remembered — I owed my grandfather。 Owed him big…time。
Without thinking; I said; “Take it easy; Dad。 Juli just
reminds him of Grandma。”
Everyone clammed up and stared at me。 So I looked at my grandfather and said; “Uh … isnt
that right; Granddad?”
He nodded and rearranged his fork some more。
“Of Renée?” My father looked at my mother and then at Granddad。 “She cant possibly!”
My granddad closed his eyes and said; “Its her spirit that reminds me of Renée。”
“Her spirit;” my father says。 Like hes talking to a lying kindergartner。
“Yes; her spirit。” My grandfathers quiet for a minute; then asks; “Do you know why the
Bakers havent fixed up the yard until now?”
“Why? Sure。 Theyre trash; thats why。 Theyve got a beat…up house; two beat…up cars; and a
beat…up yard。”
“They are not trash; Rick。 They are good; honest; hardworking people — ”
“Who have absolutely no pride in how they present themselves to the rest of the world。
Weve lived across the street from those people for over
six years; and there is no excuse for the state theyre in。”
“No?” My grandfather takes a deep breath and seems to weigh things in his mind for a few
seconds。 Then he says; “Tell me this; Rick。 If you had
a brother or sister or child who had a severe mental or physical handicap; what would you
do?”
It was like my granddad had passed gas in church。 My fathers face pinched; his head shook;
and finally he said; “Chet; what does that have to do
with anything?”
My grandfather looks at him for a minute; then quietly says; “Julis father has a retarded
brother; and—”
My father interrupts him with a laugh。 “Well; that explains a lot; doesnt it!”
“Explains…a lot?” my grandfather asks。 Quietly。 Calmly。
……… Page 41………
“Sure! It explains why those people are the way they are … !” He grins around the table at us。
“Must run in the family。”