| Show THE EXCHANGE Lora McAllister Richland Washington Non-Professional Honorable Mention Division Short Story Son hope to be back by nightfall depending on how grandma is Just you do the chores at dusk Sure Pa 11 take care of it hope grandma is better so Me and Ann can come hore So do The big maneyes emphasized his statement He gripped his son on the shoulder then swung into his saddle He suppressed the urge to hug the slight 1ittle lad proudly standing tall but ten is too old for such an embrace fromfather Peter smiled at his dad and waved from the dusty road Peter had to squint because the Sanpete sun was already on the downward swing The little boy to check on the cow and father The many horses Bessy times were slowly walking on in past flexed tangled the the his her mission moist barn but swishing eyes Peter picked how this he had time away when the Peter through the followed his he was doina dust it alone flies walked by upcompanion 01d age had affectionately made around the by minute swept all over him lonely cat docile Peter It was August in 1900 The Ephraim Peter went inside the little cool adobe before 01d Scratch and he yowled once Minute barefooted He remembered corner big walked her corral Now 01d Scratch emerged from the door of the barn stretched blinked claws himself same far small important horses this closed big yellow tomcat and feeling feeling friendly He legs once weather house crept and was The out hot and of Peter dry Young door slammed stomach It wasfeeling akin to homesickness and Peter remem bered when he was allowed to spendfew days with his grandparents in Manti But andwas he had watched only eight his then parents and now andm sister lots drive older he away in the wagon thought The smug feeling of responsibility returned to smother the homesickness This was the first time he was alone to do the chores Pa had gone to Manti to get Ma and had sister and his grown-up son was going Peter went to the bread bin Ma had made gone to care for her sick mother She had Peter remembered she had given loaf to an to take bread taken Indian care he had in the stood barn and until watched they were the Indian gone But woman last Peter cut himselfcrusty piece good yellow butter on it Aloud the things last week before sheToaf to grandma and woman When the Indians came to the door they always scared Peter to hide of he was lots the day He often ran older now and week of bread and heaped some boy mused Sure hope Ma 28 same of Bessycan come home |
