kept reciting phrases from the Bible. It gave me the
creeps the way he turned his head when he spoke, as
if some invisible person was there beside him." "It's troublesome. Very troublesome. Isaac,"
Mommy emphasized.
"I'll try to talk to him some more and get him
calmed down." Daddy promised. He should be back
soon."
"I haven't seen Uncle Simon this morning
either," I said.
"Oh. Simon's still quite under the weather
today. Honey. He's been developing a bad chest cold
and I told him to make sure he rests himself well,"
Daddy said.
"Did he have his breakfast?"
"I brought him some hot oatmeal before we left
for church," Mommy said. "Well, I guess I'll go
change into something more ordinary."
"Me, too," Daddy said.
I looked at the barn. It was so rare for Uncle
Simon to be under the weather and incapacitated. I
thought he was invincible. If he was sick enough to
stay in his claustrophobic room, it had to be serious. "Maybe Uncle Simon should see a doctor and
have some medicine," I said.
"You know how he is about that," Mommy
replied. "I'll make him some chicken soup for lunch." She and Daddy went inside. I stood there
thinking awhile and then I went in and fetched my
violin and the box of music Chandler had bought for
me.
"I'm going over to see Uncle Simon." I shouted
to Mommy and Daddy, who were still changing