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Show 11 The father opened the drawer of the boy's desk and found the mother's sharp-pointed sewing scissors and the boy's penknife. He had brought a hammer. "Show me how you feel about your mother." The boy stared at him. "You'd like to hit her, wouldn't you?" An oddly interested smile moved the boy's face. "Like this." The father picked up the hammer, brought it down on the bear. It gave, then slowly resumed its shape. "You do it." The boy took the hammer, brought it down on the bear. "Good," said the father. "Do it again. Think of your mother. You don't like her much, do you?" The boy hit the bear again, and then again; one of its seams popped, spilling stuffing, and the boy hit it again. Then he took the scissors and clipped at its fur. "More," said the father. "Tell me more how you feel." He put the scissors back into the boy's hand. The boy balanced the scissors in his palm, and then picked up the bear. He cut off its ears, its eyes, its tail, until the bear was virtually unrecognizable. "Stop," ordered the father. "To get the message, she needs to be able to tell what it is." The boy stopped, watched as his father got a shoebox, and dropped the remains of the bear into it. "Write a note," said the father. "Say 'To Mommy, Love' from you." |