c as toads. Racking my brain to find a o get to tered somet as s motened animal let out suc I ed to be surrounded by every bear in tains. Despite my poo be done er t could . By croon-ing to t, I soot, and remembering ters. ted by t once to coo and clap trings of drool ran do;t; and quot;Bye, Baby Buntingquot; reassured or con-vinced t I o t s flitted terpoint, I alk to to believe—or abandon their sense of disbelief.

    Mrs. Day bustled into tra-la-la-ing. ude amazed me; I imes before, but not quite at sucers. From ty of t  in person, senderness, tly sour, a perfume of milk and yeast. Sains, dazzling tened by s of t oo. It o keep from bursting into joyous laug me as if I were her only son.

    quot;ers, would you, ;

    I picked up t girl and announced very pointedly to my ne;Ill take Elizabet; S is a curious feel-ing to  one is not planning to steal; t softness.

    topped and stared at me, and for a beat, sain. quot; o tell t.quot;

    quot;ts easy, Mom. Elizabet;

    quot;Arent you t; Sairs.

    Elizabet my scable groaned —cakes and bacon, a jug of cer a long life in t eating ic delicacies, riche promise of fullness.

    quot;Look, es.quot;

    I could  on t. If saking trouble to fix e foods, s remely gratified by ucked in and enjoyed breakfast. After four -cakes, eigrips of bacon, and all but tcoast from abolism  seemed. Rutite as a sign of love for  eleven years, until I left for college, sime, sed ies and began to eat like me. Decades as a cit