John Wayne was in a submarine in World War Two; he was battling the Japanese. I could study pine needles, or bird identification- there are even categories for studying the latter: in-flight movement, perching silhouettes, feeding and mating cries. when he was struggling home after the Little League game-with his baseball uniform plastered to his back. Dan suggested that my mother donate the red dress to his seedy collection of stage costumes.
I tried to sound as if I knew more about the matter than Pastor Merrill. And besides: the Brocklebank daughter was marrying an American. I suppose this was nothing but a more vernacular version of my grandmother's observation of the effect of TV on old people: that watching it would hasten their deaths. He couldn't have imagined what a travesty Owen Meany's absence would make of the commencement exercises that
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