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Grandpa studied the vagrant “Where are you from, son?”

“Arkansas, sir”

“And how old are you?”

“Twenty-two, sir”

“How long you been on the road?”

“Long enough to get where I was a-goin’, if’n I knehere that was”

“What makes a man just up and leave? Can you tell me that?” Grandpa asked

They all looked at the hobo, who seemed to wrestle with the question “Well, sir I reckon you leave when you just can’t stand your life where it is”

“And what about the family you left behind?” Grandma asked sharply “Doesn’t a man care what happens to his wife and kids?”

“If he did, he’d stay, I reckon,” the hobo said

“That ain’t true,” Loreda said

“Let’s get you that cereal, shall we?” Grand the day away”

“LOREDA” ANT TUGGED ON Loreda’s sleeve “Su with Mommy”

Loreda pushed the tangled hair out of her eyes and leaned on the brooh to work up a sweat “What do you mean?”

“She won’t wake up”