His ventriloquist act continued, with Destiny singing while he drank a glass of water. Almost everything he did now drew applause. The next part of his act involved what he called his psychic memory. One of the ushers in the theater went down the aisle, choosing people to stand. Each person recited his or her name, and then he guessed their ages within a year or two. My heart thumped when the usher reached our row, but he didn't choose me. After no fewer than fifty were chosen and had recited their names. Uncle Palaver asked them to sit.
He put his hand on the doll's shoulder and leaned down to hear what looked like a whisper. He turned back to the audience and began calling out the names of each who had stood. When he or she stood, he, leaning in front of the doll each time, then gave back his or her name and age. He didn't make a single mistake, and when all fifty were standing, the audience cheered and applauded.
He thanked the volunteers who sat and then began to brag about his capabilities. I thought he was being a little too immodest when, suddenly, the lifesize doll screamed. "Aren't you being a little selfcentered? You couldn't do any of this without me."
He then got into an argument with the doll about who was more important. Finally, he said. "Okay, smarty-pants. Let's see how you do without me."
He marched off the stage, and all we saw now was the doll sitting and staring out at us. Everyone assumed the same thing. Uncle Palaver would return, and the doll would have to admit it was totally dependent upon him. But that's not what happened.
What happened brought the audience to its feet, including me.
Suddenly. without Uncle Palaver there, the doll's head moved from side to side, it leaned a bit toward us, and its mouth opened.
"Is he gone?" it asked without him there.
The curtain closed to thunderous applause and then opened again for Uncle Palaver to take his bows. He pointed to the doll, and it leaned forward. We were actually applauding it as if it were alive.
Everyone began to leave. I tried to rush out to get backstage quickly, but people were moving so slowly, Finally. I did. A stagehand stopped me, and I told him who I was and asked to see my uncle. He said he was leaving from the rear door. so I crossed the stage and made my way back just in time to see Uncle Palaver carrying the doll in his arms and heading for the motor home, which had been parked behind the building.
I called to him, and he turned slowly. At first, he looked as if he didn't recognize me. I moved closer, and then his eyes widened.
"April? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"It's a long story, Uncle Palaver, a long, terrible story. but I've come to be with you because I have nowhere else to go," I said.
He looked at the doll as if he expected it to say something, to ask something, and I thought I saw him whisper in its ear.
"Come inside," he said, and walked up the short steps into his motor home.
I followed quickly and watched him carry the doll through the motor home to the rear, where his bedroom was located.
"Just a minute," he said, and went inside, closing the door.
I stood there gazing around. The motor home was as I remembered it, only it wasn't as neat. There were dishes in the sink and clothing strewn about the small living room area.
"Okay," Uncle Palaver said, coming out of the bedroom. "Tell me what's going on."
He sat on the small settee. and I sat across from him.
Where do I begin? I wandered. How do I explain it without embarrassing myself? I began by giving him details about our move, my entrance to a new school, my friendship with Peter Smoke. I rambled on and on, skirting the crisis that had sent me fleeing from Brenda. He listened politely, but I could see he was getting impatient.
"Why did you run away?" he finally demanded.
I took a deep breath and revealed the relationship Brenda had with Celia. He didn't look surprised. He nodded and listened.
"That's who your sister is. You shouldn't have run away from her."
"That wasn't the reason," I replied. and then told him about my last night. I didn't get into actual details. but I gave him enough to widen his eves and get him to understand why I had to leave.
"I see," he said. "That is unfortunate. Well, we should call Brenda and let her know you're all right,"
"No," I said sharply. "She'll only tell you to send me back. I don't want to go back. ever!"
He sat back, staring at me. I looked toward the bedroom and then asked him about Destiny.
"Where is she?"
He let his head fall back and gazed up at the ceiling with his mouth open so long I thought he had either fainted with his eves open or fallen asleep.