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Show 27-7 Then I looked for my grandparents. They were thinking today of Paul, I was sure. Grandmother had showed me his picture tucked inside her purse. One dead man was being remembered today. Maybe among the crowd laughing in front of me there were others. Suddenly I noticed a man seated at the back of the crowd, sitting on a motorcycle parked in the street. He wore a slouch cap, goggles and had a white scarf tied around his neck. I looked, and then stood up to see better. As I did, shading my eyes against the weak November sun, he too stood up and waved. It was Andrew! On my father's motorcycle, muffled against the cold and people's curious stares. I waved again and he waved both hands. I could see the white of his bandaged hand but I could also see that he was smiling. I sat down again before any of my friends around me noticed. My heart was beating wildly and I could feel my face, hot and red. Alice Kleese sitting next to me whispered "Who's that?" but before I had a chance to lie to her, we heard the brass band from the street and saw the tips of the flags over the heads of the crowd. The parade had begun. I saw the rest of the day through Andrew's eyes and heard our music through his ears. We sang well, Miss Doweckie bobbing and weaving in front of us and I thought how funny she must look to Andrew but how well we must have sounded. I didn't listen to the speeches but watched Andrew listen to them, perched on his motorcycle, one leg crossed over the other knee, a cigarette in his mouth. Once, when things were particularly boring, he looked around, saw no one was looking at him, then raised his good hand over his head and wiggled his fingers at me. I had to squeeze my mouth tight to keep from laughing. Then the songs, the band music, and the speeches were over. The time came for the minister to read names of the dead and missing, among them that of my handsome uncle, Paul MacLeod. There was no sound from the crowd and many people bowed their heads under the weight of the morning sun. The list was not long but Reverend Bingham read slowly, pausing after each name so it was long before he finished. |