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“Pretty much the same What did he say to you, then? Your dad, on the back porch?” He’s a dog with a bone

I can’t relay that entire conversation; I’ll start crying I ht never stop My dad, his elbows on knees, the tearsclean lines down his tanned, dusty face I abbreviate the conversation into a sanitized nutshell

“That his loss was the world’s gain Andeveryone about her daughter going off to collegeShe’sa new variety of strawberry, and they’re all called Lucies”

“According to the blog, Lucy Twelve was quite good Tell me more”

“I don’t understand your fascination with that blog Moive it all up”

“For what?”

“Fora piece on the effects of soriculture, so she went out to a local orchard She found my dad in a tree His dream was to own a strawberry farm, and he couldn’t do it alone”

“Do you think shedecision?”

“Dad always says, She picked ht out of the tree I love them, but I think it’s a sad story sometimes”

“You could ask her soether, and it means you’re here”

“Dad calls you other na with J, but never your real name”

“What?” He looks alarmed “You’ve told your dad about me?”

“He’sso mean Julian and Jasper and John One time, he called you Jebediah and I nearly peed rovel to my dad, that’s for sure”

Josh looks so disturbed I decide to cut hie the subject

“When I’m homesick I can smell warm strawberries Which is prettyto try to unscramble these nonsensical statements