Caleb's Story by Patricia MacLachlan

Author:Patricia MacLachlan [MacLachlan, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062285713
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2012-03-26T07:00:00+00:00

I pushed open the door to Grandfather’s room.

Grandfather was folding his clothes on the bed, the two or three shirts he had brought, his worn pants.

“It’s late, Caleb,” he said. “You should be sleeping.”

“You should be, too,” I said.

“Good night then, Caleb.”

Grandfather leaned over to blow out the oil lamp.

“Wait,” I said. “Before you go to sleep I want you to read my book. I want you to read what I’ve written about you.”

“Not now, Caleb,” said Grandfather.

I took a deep breath.

“I’ll read it to you, Grandfather,” I said.

I opened my book. I began to read to him.

“‘I love that Grandfather has come to our farm. His farm. I love having a grandfather who will teach me about a time I never knew. Someone who can tell me that he had a sweet dog, Rags, and that once he fell out of a tree in the west meadow. Someone who will teach me about Papa.

“‘I know a secret about Grandfather.’”

I looked up at Grandfather. He stared at me.

“‘I know that Grandfather doesn’t wear eyeglasses. I know why he doesn’t read my journal, Anna’s journals. I know why he never wrote a letter to Papa when he went away.’”

I stopped. I felt tears at the corners of my eyes.

“You don’t know how to read, Grandfather, do you?” I said very softly, almost whispering. “So you didn’t know how to write a letter to Papa.”

Grandfather didn’t say anything. I moved closer to the bed and showed him my book.

“You can learn,” I said. “You can.”

“That’s enough, Caleb,” he said.

Grandfather moved to the window. He stared out into the dark.

“I’m too old,” he said more softly.

I went over and took Grandfather’s hand.

“Grandfather,” I said, looking up at him. “I am going to teach you.”

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