Stumble It!
(continued)
We arrived in Syracuse and I drove us to Ithaca, an hour and
fifteen minute ride.
“This is beautiful country,” Dad said once we left the city
for the serene countryside. “It’s
a far cry from Newark.”
When we got home, Adrian welcomed us. The three men sat on the deck drinking
beer while I made dinner.
“This is a lovely place you’ve got here,” said Dad.
After dinner we played four-handed pinochle and Dad managed
without any trouble. This was how
we checked on the state of his mind—by how well he handled card games.
As the evening wore on, Dad became more and more
agitated. He said he wanted to “go
home.”
“Which one of you will be able to give me a ride?” he asked.
“Where do you want to go, Dad?”
“I’d like to go home if you don’t mind.”
We tried to reassure him. “You’re going to sleep here tonight, Dad, and tomorrow we’re
moving you to your new home.”
Nothing worked.
“My mother is waiting for me,” he said. “And my Dad needs me in the store tomorrow.” Dad’s father had owned a grocery store in Newark where Dad worked after school. It was a shock to see how far back in his past he had traveled. I don’t know who was more upset by this, him or us.
