You two children have walked me many kilometers, said the Dead Father.
So we have, said Julie.
With st regard for your own fort. Your own projects. Of which you doubtless have a great many. You have labored on and on and on and on. For me.
That is the case, said Julie.
What of yourselves? Your two lives?
In what sense, what?
urpose? What entelechy? What will you do with yourselves when it is all over?
Julie looked at Thomas.
What will we do with ourselves when it is all over?
Thomas shook his head.
Id rather not ahat question if you dont mind, she said.
Why not?
I havent an answer.
I know that, the Dead Father said.
One would think one would be able to answer a question of that kind wouldnt one.
One would.
Disagreeable not to have a ready and persuasive answer intelligible to all. I imagine.
Could be answered possibly in terms of the kind of life one has imagined for oneself. Or in terms of what one is actually doing.
Both good choices, said the Dead Father. Also their gruence or non-gruence would be of i.
Ugh! said Julie.
I hope I havent spooked you.
Id say you rather have.
Older people dont really like younger people, the Dead Father said.
A person on horseback approag the group.
It is that one who has been following us, said Julie.
I wonder who it is, said Emma.
I know who it is, Thomas said. It is Mother.
The horse halted. Mother sitting on the horse.
Mother, Thomas said, we need some things from the store.
Yes, Mother said.
A ten-pound bag of flour. The unbleached.
Mother produced a pencil and an envelope.
Ten-pound bag of the unbleached, she said.
We need garlic, ba, tonic water, horseradish, cloves, chives, and chicory.
Garlic, ba, tonic water, horseradish, cloves, chives, chicory.
We need cigarettes, chili powder, silver polish, mayonnaise, Lysol, croutons, and ey.
Cigarettes, chili powder, silver polish, mayonnaise, Lysol, croutons, ey.
We need eggs, butter, peanut oil, vermouth, beef bouillon, and barbecue sauce.
Eggs, butter, peanut oil, vermouth, beef bouillon, barbecue sauce.
We need sc powder, hand soap, lighter fluid, Fig ons, and tennis balls.
Sc powder, hand soap, lighter fluid, Fig ons, tennis balls. Is that it?
Thats it.
Very well, Mother said.
Thank you, Mother.
Mother reined her horse about and rode away.
I dont remember her very well, said the Dead Father. What was her name?
Her name was Mother, Thomas said, let me have your keys, please.
My keys?
Yes let me have your keys.
I need my keys.
Let me have them, please.
Without my keys I t open anything.
I will keep them safe for you.
There are things I need my keys for, the Dead Father said. Things I o open and close. Lod unlock. Shut and unshut. Start and stop.
I will keep them safe for you.
I feel very unfortable without my keys! the Dead Father said.
They call it stormy Monday but Tuesdays just as bad, Thomas said, your keys.
The Dead Father gave Thomas his keys.