Seymour, the Formerly Fearful by Eve B. Feldman

Author:Eve B. Feldman [Feldman, Eve B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Chapter Book, Chapter Books, Jewish, Judaism, Kar-Ben, Kar-Ben Publishing, Older Readers, Religious, New Experience, Social Issues, Culture, Eve B. Feldman, Family, Multicultural, Parwinder Singh, Seymour, the Formerly Fearful, Summer Camp, Traditions
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Published: 2019-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

13

Trapped

I should have realized that any day with Pesach around couldn’t be peaceful.

“We will go fix Bari’s bicycle,” Pesach announced at breakfast.

“I don’t think so,” I muttered. “My legs are worn out from yesterday. I can’t walk that far. You go ahead without me.”

“No problem,” said Pesach. “I know you don’t like to walk. We can take bicycles.”

I started choking on my food. How could a person who voluntarily jumps out of a plane with only a parachute understand a person who is terrified of falling off a bicycle? He’d never understand, never.

“No, we don’t have enough good bikes, and besides, riding a bike would hurt my legs too, and I need a day of rest . . .” I was sort of chattering away.

“I saw two bikes in the garage.” He looked at me in a funny way. “One looks right size for you.”

One was my size. My father got it for me before he gave up trying to teach me to ride, but, unfortunately, he never got rid of it.

I was in big trouble. If I said the bike needed air in its tires, good old resourceful Cousin Pesach would fill it up with air. If I said it had a flat tire, he could certainly see that it didn’t, and even if I sneaked out and punctured the tire, he had a repair kit ready and waiting. I was trapped and I panicked.

“Listen, it’s just that I sort of promised that I would spend some time with Ted today. You know, my friend you met at the park.”

“Good. So you and Ted come along, and then we can all do something together.”

Boy, this guy was hard to convince.

“Uh, no, I might go somewhere with Ted and his mother. Yes, I am going with Ted and his mother. Besides, remember I’m allergic to Bari’s dog.”

Pesach looked as if he was going to say something, but then he walked over to the kitchen sink, washed a dish, and finally said, “So, yes, I’ll go to Bari’s without you. You go play with Ted. A boy should go with friends his own age.”

I was starting to feel guilty, that maybe I had hurt his feelings, but there was no way out of it. I told myself he’d have a fine time with Bari, and I would have a fine time alone at home, reading, playing with my computer, maybe a little TV.

And that’s sort of what happened. I mean, I did do all those things alone. Ted did call, but he called to invite me to the beach, and swimming in the ocean is definitely something I try to avoid. I told him I needed to be a host for my cousin. He suggested taking my cousin along, but I told him he was out and I had to wait for him. So Ted didn’t argue, and the day went quietly, peacefully, maybe a little boring, but nothing frightening.

Pesach came in about half an hour before my parents usually get home.

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