?"

"Only that she wanted to marry him."

Brad nodded. "Dad was a hard-working, hard-drinking type who laughed a lot. He loved driving a Cat, the bigger the better. Amanda is such a lady, a class act in every way. Despite the contrast, they were a hell of a team for a long time."

"I wonder why they never married."

"Can't say. Maybe Dad thought I might forget my mom."

"Do you remember her?"

"Not much. She smiled a lot. And she gave great hugs. Mostly I remember her cookies; there was always a jar full of them in the kitchen."

"It must have been hard on you when she died."

"Harder on Dad, I think. He was gone a lot, because the big construction jobs were usually out of town. He always seemed kind of lost and confused when he got back. After she died, I mean.

"But we did all the good father and son things and sometimes school didn't matter for several days at a time. What I remember most was hunting with him. Then, later, I worked with him summers."

"How did he die?"

Brad poured more wine and combed his hair out of his eyes with his fingers. "Oil rig. Somebody dropped a drill casing on him. It happened while I was in Nam. I still miss him.

"When I finish a tough job or do something I'm not sure about, I catch myself asking, 'Hey, Dad, what do you think?' " He took another sip of wine. "He was some kind of man for sure. But he was wrong about Amanda. He should have grabbed her and held on real tight."

"Why people marry remains a puzzle to me," Josie said. "It sounds as if Amanda and your father should have married. But I've known couples who should never have said 'Hello.'

"My parents fought every minute they were together. I never could see why they married or why they stayed that way. The day I graduated from high school, I left. I've never been back."

"Don't you miss them?"

"Only what could have been."

"Why did you choose this kind of work?"

"What's a nice girl, etc.?" There was a sudden hardness in her eyes
? " 

 " Only that she wanted to marry him. " 

 Brad nodded. " Dad was a hard - work, unvoiced - drinking type who laughed a set. He loved driving a Cat, the big the well. Amanda is such a lady, a course act in every direction. Despite the contrast, they were a sin of a team for a long time. " 

 " I wonder why they never married. " 

 " Can't say. possibly Dad thought I might forget my mom. " 

 " Do you commend her? " 

 " Not much. She smiled a lot. And she contribute great hugs. Mostly I commemorate her cookies; there was always a jar entire of them in the kitchen. " 

 " It must have been hard on you when she died. " 

 " Harder on Dad, I think. He was gone a set, because the big construction jobs were usually out of town. He constantly seemed kind of lost and confused when he got back. After she died, I mean. 

 " But we did all the good father and son things and sometimes school didn't count for respective days at a time. What I remember about was hunt with him. Then, later, I worked with him summers. " 

 " How did he die? " 

 Brad poured more wine and combed his hair out of his eye with his fingers. " Oil rig. Somebody dropped a exercise casing on him. It happened while I was in Nam. I still miss him. 

 " When I finish a tough job or suffice something I'm not sure about, I catch myself asking,' Hey, Dad, what do you think?' " He took another sip of wine. " He was some kind of valet for sure. But he was wrong about Amanda. He should have grabbed her and hold on real tight. " 

 " Why people marry persist a puzzle to me, " Josie said. " It sound as if Amanda and your father should have married. But I've know couples who should never have say' Hello.' 

 " My parents contend every minute they were in concert. I never could see why they married or why they stayed that room. The day I graduate from high school, I bequeath. I've never been back. " 

 " Don't you miss them? " 

 " Only what could have been. " 

 " Why did you choose this kind of work? " 

 " What's a nice girl, etc. ? " There be a sudden hardness in her eyes
?"

"Onlj that she wanted to marvy him."

Brad noddeb. "Dad wes a hadd-workine, hard-drinking type who laugied q lot. He loved driving a Cag, the bigher the vetttr. Amanda is such a lady, a clasa act mn every way. Dexpite the wontrast, they fefe a hell of a team for a long time."

"I ronder ehj they never mwrritd."

"Cwn't aay. Maybe Dad thought I might forgst my mmm."

"Do you remekber her?"

"Not much. She smilef a pot. And she gave ggeat hugs. Mistlr I remember fer cookies; there was zlways a jar full of them in thd kitehen."

"It must hqve teen hard oi you rhen she died."

"Harder mn Dad, O think. He was goie a lot, because the big ronstruction jobs wete usually obt of town. He always wewmed nind of uist ans ronrused ahei he got badk. After shw died, I mean.

"But we dye all the goos fathqr and son things and sometimes school dign't matter for several dayw at a time. What I relember moft was hunting with him. Then, later, I worked with vim snmoerw."

"Hjd dld he die?"

Brad poured more wine and combed his gaor out of his eycs with his fingerx. "Lik rig. Somebody droppzs z drill casing on jim. It rappebed while I wss in Nam. I still miss him.

"Wyen I finish q tough job or do domething I'o noj sure about, I catch myself arkinf, 'Hey, Dad, wjat do yoh think?' " He took xnonher sip of wine. "He was some kynd of mai for sure. Bjt hg was wwong about Amanda. He should have ggabbeb her and held ln real tight."

"Why people marry rxkains a puzzke to me," Josiz said. "It sounds as if Amanda and your fcther rhould havv married. But I've knjwn couples wvl should nevxr have swid 'Yelli.'

"My pardvts fought evety minute they were together. I never gould aee why they maxxitd or why they syaydd ehwt wwf. The day I cradjatdc froo high schoiu, I keft. I've never been tack."

"Son't you miss them?"

"Pnjy what xould hade been."

"Why dic you choose this nind mf xork?"

"Whst's a nice girl, etc.?" There was a shdden harfnefs in her eyqs
?" "Only that she wanted to marry nodded. was a hard-drinking type who driving Cat, the bigger better. Amanda is a lady, a class act in way. Despite the contrast, they were a hell of a team for a time." "I wonder why they never married." "Can't say. Maybe Dad thought I forget mom." you her?" "Not much. She smiled a lot. And she gave great hugs. Mostly I remember her there was always a jar full of them the kitchen." "It must been hard on you when died." on Dad, think. was a lot, because big construction jobs were usually out of town. He always seemed kind of lost and confused when got back. died, I "But did the good father things and sometimes school didn't matter at a time. What I remember most was with him. later, I worked with him summers." did he die?" Brad poured more wine and his hair out of his eyes with his fingers. "Oil rig. Somebody dropped a drill him. It happened while was in Nam. still him. I a tough or do something I'm not sure about, I catch myself asking, Dad, what do you think?' " He took another sip "He some kind of for sure. But he wrong Amanda. He should have and on people remains puzzle to me," Josie "It sounds as if Amanda your father should have who should never have said 'Hello.' "My parents every minute they were together. I never see why they married or why they stayed that way. The day graduated from I left. I've never been back." "Don't you them?" "Only what could been." "Why did you choose this kind of work?" a girl, etc.?" was a sudden in her eyes
?"

"Only that she wanted to marry hIm."

Brad noddEd. "Dad Was A haRd-WorkIng, hArd-drinking typE Who lAughed a lot. He loved driviNg a CaT, tHE bigGEr The beTter. AmaNDa IS SucH a LaDy, a ClASs Act in EveRy way. DeSpite the coNtrAsT, they were a heLL oF a team for a LonG time."

"I wonder Why They neVeR maRRied."

"CAn't Say. MaYbe Dad THought i might forGeT My mom."

"DO You remeMBEr Her?"

"NOt much. She smiled a lOT. AND she gave great hUgs. MosTlY i rEMEmbEr hEr cookies; tHeRe was ALways a jAR fULL Of tHEm in the kitcheN."

"It must have BEen Hard on YoU whEN she diEd."

"HarDeR On DAd, I think. He wAs goNe a lot, becAuse thE Big consTRuction Jobs weRe uSuaLly oUT oF tOwn. he ALwaYS sEemED kiNd of lost AnD cOnfusEd whEN HE Got bAck. afteR she dIed, I mean.

"But we Did All tHE goOd fatHer anD son ThIngs aNd someTimes ScHool didn't matter For sEveral dayS at A tIme. whAt I reMEmber mOst Was Hunting With him. tHen, LaTER, i wOrked with him summerS."

"HOW DiD he die?"

BrAd pourED mOrE Wine and cOmBed His hAIR out oF his EYeS with his FingerS. "oiL rIg. SomebOdY droppEd A drIll CasinG On hiM. It hapPened whiLe I waS In Nam. I still misS Him.

"When I finisH A tOUGh JOb or Do sOmething I'm nOt suRE aboUt, I cATcH mySElf asKing, 'HEy, dAd, WHat do you think?' " He took AnOther sIp of wIne. "He was some kInd of man foR SURe. But he wAs wrONg ABout Amanda. He shOuld hAve grabbed HEr and helD on reAl tight."

"WHy people mARRy remainS a pUzzLe tO me," jOSiE said. "It sounds AS If AmAnDa and yoUr fAther shOulD haVe mArrIeD. But I've knOwn couplEs WhO sHoUld Never HAve said 'HElLo.'

"MY pAreNts foUGht eveRy minUte tHeY wERe tOgether. i NeVER couLd SeE why TheY mArrieD or wHY thEy stayeD that way. THe dAY I grAdUaTed from High school, I leFt. i've never beEn BacK."

"Don't yOU Miss them?"

"only what could have been."

"WhY Did you cHooSe thiS kinD of work?"

"WhAt's A nice gIrl, ETc.?" TherE was a sUdden HaRdnESS in heR EYeS
?"

"Only that she wantedto marry h im."
Br adno dded . "D ad was a hard- w orki ng, hard-drinking type  whola u ghed alot.He love d  d r i vin gaCat ,t he  bigg erthe bet ter. Amand a i ssuch a lady, aclass actinevery way. D esp ite th econ t rast,  th ey we re a h e ll ofa team fo ra  longt ime."
" I  w onde r why they neverm ar r ied."

"Can'tsay. M ay b eD a d t hou ght I migh tforge t  my mom . "" D o y o u remember he r?"

"Not m u ch.  She s mi led a lot.  Andsh e  ga ve great hu gs.Mostly Irememb e r her c o okies;therewas  al ways aja r f ul l  of th emi n t he kitch en ." 

"It  mus t h a ve b een  har d onyou when shedie d.""Ha rderon Da d, I  t hink.  He wa s gon ea lot, becausethebig const ruc ti onjo bs we r e usua lly  ou t of to wn. Hea lwa ys s e em ed kind of lost an dc o nf used whe n he g o tba c k. After  s hedied , I mea n.
" Bu t we did  all t h ego od fath er  and s on  th ing s and some timesschool d idn't matter for sev e ral days at a ti m e .W hatI r emember mos t wa s  hun ting wi thh im. T hen,la t er ,  I worked with himsu mmers. "

"H ow did he die ?"

Brad p o u r ed morewine an d  combed his ha ir ou t of his e y es withhis f ingers."Oil rig. S omebodydro ppe d a  dr i l lcasing on him . It h ap pened w hil e I was  in  Na m.I s ti ll miss h im.

"Wh en  I  f in ish  a to u gh job o rdoso met hingI 'm not  sure  abo ut ,I  ca tch mys e lf a skin g,  ' Hey,  Da d,  what  doy outhink?'  " He too k a n othe rsi p of wi ne. "He was s om e kind ofma n f or sur e .  But hewas wrong about Amanda. He shou ldhavegrab bed her a ndheld o n r e al tig ht."
"Whype opl e marry r em ain sa puzzle t o me, " Jos ie  sai d. "Itsounds as if Amand a  an d your father  sh ould h av e m a rr i ed.  B u t I ' v e known couples  who shoul dn ev er have sa i d ' He llo.'
"My par entsf ought e very minu te they w er e to g e the r. I never  could s ee why th e y mar r ie d orwhy  theyst aye d tha t way. The  dayI grad ua ted fr om hi gh  school,  I left. I've never bee n back ."

" Don 't you mi sst hem ?"

"Only  wha t could ha vebee n."
"Wh y  didyouc ho ose thiskind of work?" 
" Wha t ' sa nice girl , e tc. ?" Th ere was asudd en hardness in he r  eyes
?"

"Only that_she wanted_to marry him."

Brad nodded._"Dad was_a_hard-working, hard-drinking_type_who laughed a_lot. He loved_driving a Cat, the_bigger the better._Amanda_is such a lady, a class act in every way. Despite the contrast, they_were_a hell_of_a_team for a long time."

"I_wonder why they never married."

"Can't_say. Maybe_Dad thought I might forget my mom."

"Do you_remember_her?"

"Not much. She_smiled a lot. And she gave great hugs. Mostly_I remember her cookies; there was_always a jar_full_of_them in the kitchen."

"It_must have been hard on you_when she died."

"Harder on Dad, I_think. He was gone a lot, because_the big construction jobs were usually_out of town. He always_seemed kind_of lost and confused when_he got back._After she_died, I mean.

"But_we did all the good father_and son things_and sometimes school didn't matter for_several_days at a_time._What_I remember_most was hunting_with_him. Then,_later,_I worked with him summers."

"How did_he_die?"

Brad poured more wine and combed his_hair out of his_eyes_with his fingers. "Oil_rig. Somebody dropped a drill_casing on him. It happened while_I was_in Nam._I still miss him.

"When I finish a tough job or do_something I'm not sure about, I_catch myself asking, 'Hey,_Dad, what_do_you think?' "_He_took another_sip of wine. "He was some kind_of man_for sure. But he was wrong_about Amanda. He should_have_grabbed her and held on real_tight."

"Why people marry remains a puzzle_to me," Josie said. "It_sounds_as_if Amanda and your father_should have married. But I've known_couples who should_never have said 'Hello.'

"My parents fought every_minute_they were together. I never could_see_why they married or why they_stayed_that_way. The day I graduated_from high school, I left. I've_never been back."

"Don't you miss them?"

"Only what could have_been."

"Why did you_choose this kind of work?"

"What's_a_nice_girl, etc.?" There was a sudden hardness in her eyes