do you remember the time when i told you my pa left on account 'a business? i think i had mentioned it when i was describin' my first encounter with aunt verna. well its not that i feel a big importance around where he was goin' or nothin, but i feel like sayin somethin' about the day he left. cuz it was right strange the way it happened, and i never thought much of it 'til the day he came back with two cases fulla all sorts 'a baseball caps- rangin from kentucy scotters to the alabama seahorse racin squad, to one with a cherry tree all bushed up from the top and little red balls hangin down the sides. that one was for aunt verna he said. and i'll tell you somethin- aunt verna wore that thing on the specialist of occasions, and never once thought it silly or strange. for me pa brought a green cap with a little rainbow shootin' off the side. there was golden sequence all lined up along the brim, and a little man on the front sayin' "luck finds us all in the end." louie called him a leprican, but i called him sunny smiles. just cuz his eyes were made a golden jems that shined bright when the sun was out. and people always smilin' at me when i wore it.

well the day pa left i was sitting with sis in the kitchen. we was eatin cereal, talkin 'bout nothing in particular, when pa walks in and says goodbye. "watcha mean goodbye pa?" sis says. pa 'nealt to face level with sis. i thought he was gunna say somethin' cuz his eyes was all full 'a thoughts. but he just looked down at his shoes, which were strung together with the fishin line we traded for his laces. and then in one steady motion, be looked back up at sis, kissed her on the forehead, and walked out the door.

sis walked to the kitchen window with her cereal bowl, turned on the sink water and looked out. i was watchin her from behind, and just past her shoulder i could see pa outside now standin with aunt verna. i could see her lips was movin but i couldnt hear a word. sis had her head up and faced toward the window, and a stillness had come over her like nothin id known in her before. i came to her side with my bowl, pretending id come to wash it, when i saw her eyes was closed. but her face was pointed straight to pa and aunt verna. i looked out again and saw pa slip somethin in his pocket. then i saw aunt verna pull pa to her chest and hold him there for a good long moment. then mother walked up, took pa's hand, and walked him slowly to his car. he was lookin at his shoes the whole time. i was waitin' for them to start talkin or at least look at each other but they was busy lookin at other things. then mother leaned in and gave him a kiss on the neck. i saw her pause on the way back and whisper something in his ear. he put his arms around her waist and thats when i saw him say "i love you ramona." i couldnt hear it but i could tell by the way his lips moved. i looked at sis. her eyes were now open, and i knew she was seeing the same thing as me. she grabbed my hand, and i dont think she realized it but she was squeezin real hard. i heard the car door shut and i turned to see pa in the dirver's seat, with his arm out the window, his hand holdin mother's. he then let go, put the hand to the wheel, and drove away.

mother stood there staring after him for a long while. aunt verna walked slowly to her side, and placed a hand on the small of mother's back. she held it there until mother turned into her sister, folded up into her arms, and wept.