,,*apt} ,,elev5
     ,,! ,,celebr,n
     ,,nov4 #aici

,weep+ may 5dure =a ni<t1 b joy -e? 9 ! morn+4
--,psalm #cj#e

  ,rudi did n g 0,salek's4 ,he want$ 6be al"o4 ,nor did he 9t5d 6tell any"o ab 8 9cid5t ) ,m5de1 =! m he ?"| ab x1 ! m he felt t "! 7 "s ?+s t he wd r keep 6hmf4
  ,he _h hop$ t ! visits 9 ! nei<borhood wd 9 "s way *e} hm4 ,b ag he 0 4appo9t$4 ,0! "t he return$ home1 he felt ev5 m sull54
  8,my10 8 "f sd1 8,i ?"| y look$ j ab z gloomy z any boy cd possibly look :5 y left ? morn+4 ,i see ,i 0 wr;g40
  ,rudi tri$ 6smile4 8,i didn't see any"o or any?+ t made me feel any bett}40
  8,f ! looks ( y1 :at y saw made y feel worse40
  8,x did40 ,rudi admitt$4 8,d y rememb} ,mr4 ,&rosky & 8 family80
  8,yes1 :y80
  8,well1 y %d see hm n{4 ,y wdn't ev5 "k hm4 ,i cdn't 2lieve x :5 he answ}$ ! door4 ,8 face is all--well1 bloat$--l1 & he has pu6y bags "u 8 eyes4 ,& ?|< 8 body's re,y sk9ny1 8 legs >e s swoll5 he c h>dly /& up4 ,:at's wr;g ) hm1 papa80
  8,he's />v+ 6d1?10 8 "f sd quietly4
  8,i guess t's :at he 0 try+ 6expla9 6me10 sd ,rudi4
  8,:at did he tell y80
  8,he sd t he'd be5 a# 6get only two r,n c>ds = 8 :ole family40
  8,he has ?ree *n1 doesn't he80
  8,yes10 sd ,rudi4 8,he sd 8 wife 0 sick too40
  8,i imag9e %e is 9 j ab ! same %ape he is10 sd ,dr4 ,kaplan4 8,!y're probably giv+ any food !y c get 6! *n4 ,we'll h 6d "s?+4 ,maybe ,i c talk 6,mr4 ,s}dusek & get hold ( "o or two m c>ds40
  8,:at if y c't80 ask$ ,rudi4
  8,!n ,i'll save half ( my food = !m10 he sd4 8,me too10 sd ,rudi4
  8,no10 8 "f sd4 8,y're gr{+ too fa/ "r n{4 ,i'm afraid if y eat any less1 x won't 2 l;g until y %{ ! same signs ( malnutri;n4 ,don't worry1 son4 ,i'll ?9k ( "s?+4 ,i c al get "o or two bottles ( ,wigantol = !m40
  8,:at's t80 ,rudi ask$4
  8,basic,y a tonic )a few vitam9s--n _m1 b e ll bit helps4 ,~! "ds vitam9s >e m preci|s ?an gold40
  8,t's n all ,i saw1 papa10 ,rudi 3t9u$4 8,ov} half ! h|ses ,i w5t 6_h at l1/ "o p}son ) typhoid--"s m40
  8,i "k4 ,x's spr1d+ l fire 9 a dry =e/--especi,y 9 ? "p ( t{n10 8 "f sd4
  8,x 0 h>d 5 6get m$ic9e = x :5 y 7 "w+ at ! hospital4 ,:at're y go+ 6d n{80
  8,i 4cov}$ :ile ,i 0 | t !y h set up a small ,jewi% hospital | pa/ ,salek's h|se10 8 "f told hm4
  8,i he>d ab t1 too10 sd ,rudi4 8,b ,i al f.d | t nobody w g "!4 ,!y're afraid to40
  8,did any"o tell y :y80 ask$ 8 "f4
  8,! doctors make !m /ay 9 ! hospital = tr1t;t1 & nobody wants 6sp5d ! ni<t "!10 ,rudi told hm4 8,mrs4 ,zysk9d sd t ! ,g}mans h raid$ ! place ?ree di6}5t ni<ts & tak5 ! pati5ts (f 6"w camps40
  ,rudi's "f sd no?+4 8,:y wd !y d "s?+ s /upid1 papa8 ,x's obvi|s !y're n go+ 6get any "w | ( sick p40
  8,t's true10 0 all 8 "f repli$4 ,!n he a4$1 8,maybe ,i c get "s (! m$ic9e f ! hospital 6give 6! pati5ts "h4 ,once we get a c|ple ( rooms set up1 ,i'll g see :at ,i c d4 ,b f/--has x o3urr$ 6y yet :at "d x is80 8 "f ask$4
  ,rudi si<$4 8,:at di6};e does x make80
  8,n m*1 ,i guess10 he sd4 8,i m/ admit ?|<1 ,i didn't ?9k ,i'd "e he> y say t40
  8,:at >e y talk+ ab80 ,rudi ask$4 8,well1 ,i j ?"| s9ce y w5t 6all t tr|# 6make sure y _h yr "m's lrs1 y'd at l1/ rememb} :5 x 0 "t 6op5 "o40
  ,rudi /opp$4 8,x's my bir?"d60 he exclaim$4 ,8 "f lau<$4 8,v gd4 ,i 0 runn+ | ( h9ts40
  8,i c't 2lieve x10 ,rudi sd4
  8,nei c ,i4 ,i didn't ?9k ev5 a w> cd make a twelve-ye>-old =get 8 bir?"d40
  8,":'s ! lr80 ask$ ,rudi4
  8,2f ,i give x 6y1 ,i h "o o!r surprise4 ,foll{ me10 8 "f sd1 & he l$ ,rudi ov} 6! rickety ta# 9 ! corn}4 ,"! 0 a plate cov}$ )a clo? napk94 ,8 "f snat*$ ! napk9 (f ! plate )a fl|ri%4
  8,a sweet roll60
  8,i suppose x wd 2 m a3urate 6call x a sweet biscuit10 8 "f told hm4 8,x's a ll small1 b--0
  8,x's sweet10 sd ,rudi4 ,he scoop$ x up4 8,t's all t c.ts4 ,": 9 ! _w did y get x80
  8,mrs4 ,s}dusek & ,i made a b>ga94 ,"o ( my =m} pati5ts gave me a ll c(fee--at l1/ x resem#d c(fee4 ,y "k h{ ,mrs4 ,s}dusek loves c(fee1 & ,i ne$$ a sweet roll4 ,we trad$40
  8,x's grt10 sd ,rudi1 /u6+ x 9 8 m|?4 ,8 "f gr9n$4 8,i see y =got yr mann}s al;g ) yr bir?"d4 ,maybe we cd ?ank ! ,"l = x n{40
  8,sorry4 ,i 0 j s hungry10 sd ,rudi4
  8,i "u/&1 & ,i am c}ta9 ,god does z well10 he sd4 ,& !y b{$ _! h1ds & pray$ tgr4
  ,z soon z !y _h f9i%$ pray+1 ,dr4 ,kaplan took a lr f 8 %irt pocket & h&$ x 6,rudi4
  8,:ile y r1d ?1 ,i'm go+ 6sc|t >.d & see if ,i c f9d "s rooms wor? fix+ up40
  8,?anks1 papa10 ,rudi sd4 8,i'll -e help 9 a few m9utes40
  8,no ru%10 8 "f sd z he left ! room4
  ,al? ,rudi 0 eag} 6r1d ! lr1 he didn't want 6op5 x too qkly4 ,tak+ "t 2f r1d+ x seem$ 6make hav+ x ev5 bett}1 & he plann$ 65joy ! exp}i;e z l;g z he cd4#hb  ,,! ,,ceirr,n 
  ,x's amaz+ h{ m* papa's be5 a# 6d ) ? place1 he ?"| z he walk$ acr ! room4 ,8 "f _h ev5 f.d "s glass 6repair ! room's two brok5 w9d{s1 & ,mrs4 ,s}dusek _h giv5 !m "s scrap clo? 6use z curta9s4 ,n s* a bad place 6h a bir?"d1 he sd 6hmf z he pu%$ ! clo? aside 6let ! sun -e "? ! w9d{ & w>m hm4 ,if only x w}5't s cold mo/ (! "t4
  ,!n sitt+ up ag/ ! wall1 he op5$ 8 lr4 = ,nov4 #ae1 #aici4

,de> ,rudi1
  ,,happy ,,bir?"d6 ,i tru/ 0n{ y h 5joy$ "s bir?"d sweets &a "t ( celebr,n4 ,-e 6?9k ( x1 h{"e1 if yr "f hasn't improv$ 8 cook+ ov} ! ye>s1 y mi<t d well 6skip ! 8sweets0 & 2 satisfi$ )! celebr,n4 ,b !n ag1 ev5 if he hasn't le>n$ 6cook1 ,i'm sure he's / v cl"e & t he's manag$ 6figure | a way 6get y "s delici|s bir?"d tr1t4
  ,=! pa/ few lrs1 ,i've 3c5trat$ on %>+ s"eal (! family's memories4 ,b ? "t1 ,i ?9k ,i'd l 6take y ev5 fur!r back 6"s?+ a ll m p}sonal4 ,x's a memory f my {n *ildhood's lesson ,i le>n$ :5 ,i 0 v "y & "o t seem$ to 8gr{ up0 ) me ov} ! ye>s4 ,n{ t y're a ll old}1 ,i ?9k y'll "u/& :y x m1ns s m* 6me4
  ,:5 ,i 0 small1 ,i 0 t}ribly afraid (! d>k4 ,x 0 ! f/ r1l pro#m ,i rememb} fac+1 & "! seem$ 6be no explan,n or rem$y = x4 ,ni<t af ni<t1 ,i wd avoid go+ 6b$1 & once 9 b$ my imag9,n wd 3jure up all sorts ( t}rify+ sc5es4 ,i 0 sure t "! 7 f"r;l ?+s crawl+ "u ! b$ or t "! 7 horrid cr1tures lurk+ 9 ! w>drobe4 ,( c|rse1 t seems v silly n{1 b x didn't seem s !n4
  ,anyway1 "o ev5+1 :5 ,i 0 ab six1 my "f & ,i 7 wait+ = d9n}4 ,i 0 play+ quietly :ile he 0 r1d+ 8 ,bi#4 ,su45ly he look$ up f 8 r1d+4 8,y wd l ? v}se1 ,9grid10 he sd 6me4 8,x tells y "s?+ ab h1v5 t w make y v happy40
  8,:at is t80 ,i ask$1 = 0n{ he'd >|s$ my curios;y4
  8,x says 9 ,revel,n tw5ty-two v}se five t ,8"! % 2 no ni<t "!10'0 he sd1 & he smil$ d{n n{ at me4
  ,=! f/ "t ,i "u/ood "s?+ ab :at h1v5 wd re,y 2 l4 ,x wd 2 a place ": ,i wd n"e 2 afraid1 = 6me 8no ni<t0 m1nt no fe>4 ,f !n on :5 ,i w5t 6b$1 ,i wd try 6imag9e h1v54 ,i wd try 6imag9e :at x wd 2 l 6live 9 a place )|t d>k;s4 ,! ?"| s fasc9at$ me t ,i =got 6be afraid4
  ,b y "k1 ,rudi1 once ,i'd ov}come t fe>1 ,i f.d t x 0 replac$ 0m 8gr{n-up0 worries4 ,x seem$ z ,i grew old} t m & m ev5ts t ,i cd n "u/& or 3trol rose up 2f me4 ,"! 7 n only fe>s b fru/r,ns & 4appo9t;ts z well4
  ,/1 no matt} h{ ! pro#ms *ang$1 ,i alw f.d -=t 9 go+ back 6! v}se my "f told me :5 ,i 0 six4 ,x 0 z if e pro#m 0 9 "s m1sure l my ni<t"t fe>1 & ,i felt bett} if ,i rem9d$ myf t 8ni<t0 wd "s"d vani%4 ,?us1 my "u/&+ ( h1v5 broad5$4 8,no ni<t0 m1nt m ?an freedom f fe>4 ,x m1nt no /ru7l+ ) ang}1 no grappl+ ) 4c|rage;t1 & 9f9itely m4
  ,i al 2gan 6r1lize t ! v}se _h m1n+ = me 9 ! pres5t z well z ! future4 ,i 2gan 6see t j z 8ni<t0 is "p ( ? life1 s is morn+4 ,no matt} :at ! di6iculty1 x ev5tu,y passes j z surely z ! sun -es up ea* "d4 ,y may n feel t way :5 y >e 9 ! mi4le ( "s pro#m4 ,b tru/ me1 son1 x is s4 ,& ,i h f.d t if ,i ?9k ( ? tru? at ! v mo;t ,i am fe>;l1 angry1 or 4c|rag$1 x helps me see ! situ,n cle>ly & gives me ! /r5g? 6d1l ) x z ,i %d4 ,t's :y ,i want$ 6tell y ab x1 = surely y w soon 2 fac+ m 8gr{n-up0 pro#ms4 ,& ,i want v m* 6help y see ?+s cle>ly4 ,z yr "m1 ,i h su6ici5t fai? 9 y 6believe t once y see1 y w 2 /r;g 5 6face :at"e -es4
  ,love1 ,"m

  ,c>e;lly ,rudi fold$ 8 "m's lr4 ,!n he clos$ 8 eyes =a few mo;ts 6?9k ab ! pass+ ( ni<t &! -+ ( morn+4