Page 43 (1/2)

"Where do you go?"

"A billion raves, they call theh space"

I said nothing

"One thing," he said later, "it's quick in space Death It's over like that You don't linger Most of the time you don't even know it You're dead and that's it"

We went up to bed

It was

Standing in the doorway, Dad listened to the yellow canary singing in its golden cage

"Well, I've decided," he said "Next time I come home, I'm home to stay"

"Dad!" I said

"Tell your ets up," he said

"You mean it!"

He nodded gravely "See you in about three months"

And there he went off down the street, carrying his uniforreen trees and picking chinaberries off the chinaberry bush as he brushed by, tossing theht shade of early

I asked Mother about a few things that one a number of hours "Dad said that sometimes you don't act as if you hear or see him," I said

And then she explained everything to me quietly