my father was all over her; trying to calm her down。 It
was no use。 She basically dissolved right there on the spot。
Lyta threw her napkin down and muttered; “This family is a joke;” and took off。 Then my
mother bolted out of the room; sobbing into her hands;
and my father raced after her; throwing my grandfather the wickedest look Id ever seen。
That left Granddad and me and a table full of cold food。 “Wow;” I finally said。 “I had no idea。”
“You still dont;” he told me。
“What do you mean?”
He sat there like granite for a minute; then leaned across the table toward me and said; “Why
do you suppose that upset your mother so much?”
“I…I dont know。” I gave a halfhearted grin and said; “Because shes female?”
He smiled; but just barely。 “No。 Shes upset because she knows that she could very well be
standing in Mr。 Bakers shoes right now。”
I thought about it a minute and finally asked; “Did her brother have the cord around his neck
when he was born?”
He shook his head。
“Well; then …”
He leaned forward even farther and whispered; “You did。”
“I did?”
He nodded。 “Twice。”
“But …”
“The doctor who delivered you was on the ball; plus apparently there was some slack in the
cord; so he was able to loop it off as you came out。
……… Page 42………
You didnt hang yourself ing into the world; but it could very easily have gone the other
way。”
If Id been told years or even weeks ago that Id e down the chute noosed and ready to
hang; Id have made some kind of joke about it; or
more likely Id have said; Yeah; thats nice; now can you spare me the discussion?
But after everything that had happened; I was really freaking out; and I couldnt escape the
questions tidal…waving my brain。 Where would I be if
things had been different? What would they have done with me? From the way my dad was
talking; he wouldnt have had much use for me; thats for
sure。 Hed have stuck me in a nuthouse somewhere; any where; and forgotten about me。 But