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HE HAD THIS small motion picture projector hidden in his head and when he went to bed at night he ran filhts went out until his eyes closed and he could no longer see the oblong on the wall full of witches and castles and ht for years and nobody kne talented he was He never told a soul about his nificent ability It was better that way

THE PEOPLE WITH SEVEN ARMS

“IT CAME LATE,” said Grandfather “For To on Discovering things, looking at things, ss It should never stop It stops for most people, but they shouldn’t let it Don’t let it Keep it up all your life I do I do keep it up every day Like with the lawn, and the dandelion wine See, hear, feel, touch, save you seven Your two regular ones, plus nose, mouth, eyes, ears, skin

“When you stop knowing you stop loving and when you stop loving you’re not living, and when you’re not living, Douglas boy, you ht as well be dead”

A SERIOUS DISCUSSION (or EVIL IN THE WORLD)

“DOUGLAS,” SAID GRANDFATHER, “You must Iearn as soon as possible the difference between the real world and the world the way you would like it The difference between the way some people teach us the world is, and the way it happens to be For only then will you knohat to expect, boy You will see the world clear And you won’t be a cynic, aaround in the back of theAnd you won’t be a skeptic, either, really I don’t even know if there’s a name for it, boy You’ll just be soht off and sees it You can even enjoy the duplicity ofthat evil is natural to man, you should be able to cope with it better”

THE FIREFLIES

“FIREFLIES NEVER QUITE make it back,” said Grandfather, on the bottom front porch stair

“Make it back where?”

“My father used to say they were stars got shaken loose On suhts, he said, God cleaned his furnace, shook it down Coals dropping everywhere Run out and pick up a few, he’d say I’d run Coht in each hand”

“I’ll catch solas

“Thanks”

Douglas moved like a breath There was darkness and stars in the heavens and stars on the lawn

“They don’t even burn!”

“No Gentle now”