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all his life.
He’d been close to Papa Joe in a way that his father had never
been.
    “James would have an easier time of it if
Phil helped him. I love my boys, but James doesn’t have as much
smarts as Phil.”
    Simon sighed. The two men had been at war
with each other for years. Papa Joe was a ‘take charge’ man with
strong opinions, as was his son, Phillip. The son had chosen to be
a college professor; something Papa Joe still did not understand or
accept. The result was that the two men rarely spoke. Both were too
stiff-necked to bend. Simon feared they would realize too late the
price of estrangement.
    “Which is why he loves being a political
science professor, Papa Joe. Daddy would be real happy if you took
pride in his accomplishments. He has been a consultant to several
governors and a senator.” Simon knew his father would never admit
to wanting his father’s approval.
    “Lying politicians! And that’s another thing
– helping Taylor Caldwell get elected.” Papa Joe looked to the
ceiling, as though seeking divine forgiveness. “My kin working for
that rhetoric-spouting bag of wind…”
    “Caldwell may be too liberal for your
taste–”
    “That’s an understatement. The man wants to
keep our people in a perpetual welfare state.” Papa Joe wagged a
finger in the air, in preparation of launching into a debate on
government policy.
    “But Daddy believes he’s a good, honest man,”
Simon pressed.
    “Oh, give me strength! He’s an idiot, you
mean.” Papa Joe leaned forward. “You agree with me and don’t bother
to deny it.”
    “The point is you and Daddy should find a way
to stop fighting each other. It makes no sense whatsoever,” Simon
replied.
    “It’s his fault.” Papa Joe’s mouth turned
down in a stubborn pout.
    “I give up, for now.” Simon squinted at his
grandfather. “But you two are going to see reason if I have to
knock your heads together. This bickering is stupid.”
    “Let’s not argue, Simon. Maybe I’ll give Phil
a call later today.” Papa Joe tried to appease his grandson. “Guess
I oughta be old enough to know better. Don’t be mad at me.”
    Simon gazed at him with affection. Strangely,
the bond that should have been between Papa Joe and Simon’s father
had skipped a generation. Simon’s earliest memory was of following
his grandfather around brickyards when he was only four years old.
His mother and grandmother had objected on safety grounds, yet
Simon had howled with such force at being left behind that they
relented.
    Simon fixed him a mug of coffee. “You know I
can’t be angry with you for more than a minute. Now what brings you
to town?”
    “Oh, just came in to pick up a few things at
Lawson’s Hardware and thought I’d say hello.” Papa Joe accepted the
mug and took a sip.
    “I see. What things?”
    “Some nails. A handle on the dresser in our
bedroom broke. You know, odds and ends.”
    Simon eyed him for a few seconds. “You fixed
the handle last week. I was by the house. Another one broke?”
    “Oh, I, uh, got an extra just in case. And
your grandmother wanted me to get some of those headache pills from
the drugstore.” Papa Joe did not look at him.
    “I see.” Simon waited for the real reason his
grandfather had left his beloved sanctuary six miles out of
town.
    Several moments passed as Papa Joe sipped
from the mug. Then he said, “I hear Raenette Dalcour is staying
around to settle up her daddy’s affairs.” Papa Joe affected a
matter-of-fact tone.
    “Yes.”
    “I suppose she’ll be here a few more days,
then leave.”
    Simon lifted a shoulder. “Maybe.”
    “I mean, there’s no reason for her to stay
around here. Is there?” Papa Joe looked at him intently.
    “I guess not. Don’t really know.”
    Papa Joe put the mug down and puffed in
frustration. “Damn it, this is like pulling teeth. You talked to
the girl. What did she say?”
    “I spoke to her for a total of maybe five
minutes. She’s meeting with me tomorrow.