Chapter 3 Chapter two

I guess I should explain why I jumped into the ocean to pick up her bag.I didn't want to be her hero, impress her, or even care about how much money was in the bag.Probably because of her smile and warm laughter!When I jumped into the water, I was still thinking how stupid I was to be so impulsive, but it was too late.After sinking into the water, diving into the sea, and then surfacing, four faces stared at me from the railing, and the man in the pink shirt was definitely blown away. "Where?" I yelled at the four. "It's over there!" the brunette yelled back, "you can still see it from this side, it's still sinking..." In the twilight of the evening, it took a while to find the bag, with a little help from the waves Nope, just kept rushing me towards the pier.Swimming to the shore with the bag in hand, I got my hands out of the water as much as I could, but the bag was soaked.The waves pushed me towards the shore, and swimming back was easier than I had imagined.I looked towards the shore from time to time, and the four people followed in step.

Finally my feet hit the ground, and I staggered onto the sand, and halfway through the foursome came up, and I reached out and handed out the bag. "Here, take it." "Thank you." The brown-haired girl said thanks.When the eyes met, I felt electrocuted. That feeling was like opening a lock with a click of a key card.I am not romantic at all, although I have heard many stories about love at first sight, I never believe it.But at that moment, I really felt something was different, I couldn't tell what it was, but it felt so real that I could touch it, and I couldn't take my eyes away at all.

From a close look, she is more beautiful than the first impression, but that kind of beauty is not entirely about appearance, but has something to do with this person.What attracted me was not only the small gap between her front teeth when she smiled, but also her approachable attitude when she reached out to push her hair behind her ears. "You don't have to jump into the ocean for me," she sounded surprised, "I was going to jump myself." I nodded and said, "I know. I saw you were going to jump." She turned her head to one side. "But seeing the lady suffering, I really can't let go of it?" "Probably." She thought about my answer before turning her attention to the bag, reaching out to take out the contents one by one, skin Clips, sunglasses, hat, and a tube of sunscreen lotion.She handed them all to the blonde and wrung the bag dry.

"Your picture is wet," said the blonde, flipping through her wallet. The brunette ignored her and continued to wring the bag, first in one direction and then the other.When you are satisfied, put everything back together. "Thank you again." Her accent is not from eastern North Carolina, but rather nasal. It seems to be the accent of the mountain side near Boone Town, or the west side of South Carolina. "Nothing." I mumbled, but stood still. "Hey, maybe he's asking for a reward." The man in the pink shirt interjected, his voice was unusually loud.

The brown-haired girl looked at him and then at me, "Do you want me to give you money?" "No, no, no," I waved my hand, "just to help." The brown-haired girl said, "I know knights The spirit is still there." I thought there was a hint of teasing in the tone, but I couldn't hear anything. The man in the orange shirt took a look at me and noticed my crew cut. "You're from the Marines?" he said, tightening his arms around the blonde. I shook my head and said, "I don't have a one-in-a-million physique, nor do I have the courage to stand out from the crowd. I just want to do my best, so I joined the army." The brown-haired girl laughed, unlike my dad, she had seen that ad.

"My name is Savannah. Savannah Lynn Curtis. This is Brad, Randy and Susan." The brown-haired girl held out a hand. "My name is John Terry." I took the brunette's hand.Her palms are warm, some places are as delicate as silk, some places are callused.It suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't touched a woman for a long time. "Well, I think I should do something for you in return." "Don't bother." "Have you eaten?" The brown-haired girl ignored my answer. "We are going to have a picnic for dinner. There are a lot of things. Do you want to come together?" The two men glanced at each other. Randy, the man in the pink shirt, looked unhappy, but I have to admit that I was quite happy, "Maybe he is I want to ask for some rewards", alas, what a shit.

Finally Brad said, "Yeah, let's come together!" But it didn't sound very exciting. "We rented a place by the pier, it should be fun." Randy pointed to a house on the beach, and a few people hung out in groups on the back terrace. Although I didn't want to fool around with this group of college students at all, Savannah's warm smile made me blurt out my agreement. "Sounds great, but I have to go to the pier to get my surfboard and get there later." Randy said loudly, "See you later!" He took a step towards Savannah, but Savannah Na ignored him.

"I'll go with you." Savannah broke away from the trio. "At least that's what I should do." She adjusted the bag on her shoulder. "See you at the big house later!" Savannah walked with me to the dunes and up the steps leading to the pier.Her friend stayed where she was and waited for a while, and then walked away slowly when she saw Savannah walking with me.Out of the corner of my eye, Susan told me that Susan looked over Brad's arms and turned to stare at Savannah. Randy was also looking at us, still looking angry.Savannah and I walked on, wondering if she had noticed the reactions of my friends.

"Susan probably thinks I'm crazy." "Why?" "Come with you. Susan thinks Randy and I would be a good match. Since I got here this afternoon, I've been trying to get me and him to do it. Heap. Randy followed me around all day." I just nodded, not knowing how to respond.The moon is big and round in the distance, slowly rising from the sea.Savannah stared at the moon with both eyes.The waves hit the shore and stirred up splashes, and the bright moonlight made the waves silvery, shining like a shutter flash.When we walked to the pier, the railings were covered with sand and sea salt, and they were full of cracks after years of wind and sun.Every time I stepped on a step, I heard a creaking sound.

"Where are you stationed?" "Germany. I'm on vacation to visit my dad this time. I guess you're from the mountains?" Savannah looked at me in surprise. "Yes, Lenoir." After finishing speaking, he continued to study my expression. "It's my accent, right? You think I'm from the country, don't you?" "I didn't say that." "Well, yes, I'm a redneck, raised on a ranch or something. But some people think Country girls are nice." "That's what Randy thinks." Again, my tongue seems to be out of control.In an uncomfortable silence, Savannah ran her hands through her hair.

After a while, Savannah said, "Randy seems like a nice guy, but I don't really know him very well. In fact, I don't know most of the people in the big house except Susan and Tim." Savannah waved Wave away mosquitoes. "You'll see Tim in a minute. Tim's a nice guy and you're sure to like him. Everybody likes Tim." "You're here for a week, aren't you?" "One month. But it's not a vacation , we come to volunteer. Have you heard of Habitat for Humanity? We come here to help build a house. My family has come to help every year for several years." Looking over Savannah's shoulder, the house seems to have never been Suddenly appearing in the darkness, the nearby figures became more and more obvious, and the sound of music was heard, and laughter came from time to time.Brad, Susan, and Randy sat among a group of college students, drinking beer and chatting. They looked more like college students on summer vacation looking for fun than well-meaning volunteers. It seemed that everyone wanted to try their relationship with the opposite sex.Savannah must have noticed my expression and followed me to look over. "Work starts on Monday. Soon everyone will know we're not here to play." "I didn't say anything..." "You don't have to say anything, I can tell. Most of the people here are first This is the first time I helped "Habitat for Humanity" build a house. To put it bluntly, this experience will only make the resume look special. In fact, no one knows how much work it will take, but in the end, the most important thing is to build the house well. That's enough." "Have you been here before?" "Since the age of sixteen, I have come every summer vacation. I used to come with the church, and then I went to Church Hill to go to college, and we set up a summer volunteer group here. But To be honest, it started with Tim, who is from my hometown and also from Lenoir. He just graduated this year and will start his master's class in the fall. We have known each other for a long time. Instead of going home all summer and working part-time jobs, We think it’s better to give students the opportunity to do something different. The big house is rented by everyone, and everyone pays for their own expenses this month. They don’t get paid for building the house. So I have to pick up my bag Come back, or I'll be starving for the next month." "I'm pretty sure no one is going to die." "I know, but it's not fair, and everyone is willing to help, that's enough "Why Wilmington? I mean, why build a house here instead of Le Noir or Lowry?" "Because there's a beach here. You know what college students think. Ask students to work white for the summer. It's hard enough to work for a whole month, and it's easier to get people here. Thirty people have joined this year." I nodded, noticing how close we got. "Did you graduate, too?" "Not yet, you're a senior this year. Majored in special education, if you want to ask." "Yeah, I did." "I think so. As long as people know you're a college student , will definitely ask that question." "Everyone asks me if I like being in the military." "How?" "I don't know." Savannah laughed, a good laugh that made me want to hear it again. At the end of the pier, I picked up my surfboard and threw the empty beer can into the trash can, hearing the squawk clatter to the bottom of the can.The stars came out in the sky overhead, and on the beach, the lights from the houses stretched along the curve of the dunes, reminding me of jack-o-lanterns at Halloween. "May I ask why you want to be in the military? I mean, you don't seem to be sure if you like it or not." It took me a while before I figured out how to answer the question, and I switched my surfboard from my hand and said, " It would be an understatement to say that being in the military was what I needed most at the time." Savannah was still waiting for me to explain, but I didn't say anything and she just nodded. "I think you'd be happy to be back on vacation!" "Exactly." "I assume your dad is too?" "Probably!" "Sounds like you're not sure again." "If you've met my dad, You know why I say that. My dad isn't very good at expressing his emotions." Savannah's dark eyes reflected the moonlight, and her voice was soft when she spoke. "Your dad doesn't have to talk about how proud he is, I think he must be the other way of being a dad." I thought about it and hoped Savannah was right.While I was still thinking, there was a scream from the big house, and I saw a group of college students around the campfire; a man hugged a woman and pushed her forward; the girl struggled and laughed.Next to Brad and Susan were kissing each other, but there was no Randy figure anywhere. "You said you probably don't know the people you live with?" Savannah shook her head, her hair brushing her shoulders, and then she reached out and pushed back a strand of hair. "Not so well. The first time we met was when we signed up, and the next was today. I mean, maybe met in school before. I guess most of the people already know each other, because a lot of people attended the university. A fraternity or a sorority, but I don't have one. I still live in the dorms. But everyone is nice." Savannah's answer gave me the feeling that she wouldn't blame anyone.It's a very grown-up attitude, and it's quite refreshing, but the odd thing is that I'm not surprised at all.It should be said that from the very beginning, I felt that Savannah had a characteristic that I couldn't describe, which made her different from other people. "How old are you?" I asked casually as I approached the big house. "Twenty-one. I just had my birthday last month. How about you?" "Twenty-three. Do you have any brothers or sisters?" "No. I'm an only child. My parents and I live in Le Noir. , the two of us are as close as they were twenty-five years ago. It's up to you." "Same. But my family is just me and my dad." I knew that after hearing this answer, the other party would ask about my mom. Surprisingly, Savannah didn't mention it, but instead asked me: "Your father taught you surfing?" "No. I learned it by myself when I was a child." "You are very good. I watched you surf in the afternoon. It didn't look hard at all, and It's elegant and makes me want to learn too." "If you want to learn, I'd love to teach you." I volunteered, "It's not difficult at all, and I'll be there tomorrow." Savannah stopped and stared at me . "Okay, don't promise what you can't do." She put her hand around my arm, and I was speechless for a moment. "Ready to meet new people?" I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry, and it was the most amazing experience ever. This house is a typical big vacation house, three stories high, the first floor is a garage, and there are about six or seven rooms.A covered patio surrounds the house; towels hang to dry on the railing on the porch.Voices were heard from all around.There was a grill on the patio that smelled of grilled chicken and hot dogs, and a shirtless guy was standing in front of the grill, with a hip hop hood on his head, trying to look cool.It doesn't seem very convincing, but it makes me feel funny. A hole was dug on the beach in front of the house and a campfire was built. A few girls in oversized T-shirts sat on chairs by the fire, pretending to ignore the boys around them.These guys stand right in front of the girls, and their posture is to show off, emphasizing the biceps on their arms or the abs on their bodies, and pretending not to notice the girls.I've seen this scene before in "Zheluo".Young people are young people, regardless of education level.They were only in their early twenties, and there was curiosity and longing in the air.With the beach and the catalyst of beer, it's pretty predictable what's going to happen next.But by that time, I was long gone. As Savannah and I approached the crowd, she slowed down and pointed into the distance. "How about sitting over there? It's right by the sand dunes." "Okay." Sitting in front of the campfire, a few girls looked over, sized me up as a newcomer, and resumed their conversation.Randy finally showed up, came over with a can of beer, and turned around as soon as he saw me and Savannah, like the girls. "Would you like chicken or a hot dog?" Savannah seemed completely oblivious to the people around her. "Chicken." "What do you want to drink?" The beating campfire made Savannah's face look a little mysterious, and it was a brand new feeling. "Everything is fine, thanks." "I'll be right back." I had to force myself not to follow Savannah as she headed for the stairs.I went to the fire, took off my coat and hung it on an empty chair, then sat back down.Looking up, the guy with the turban was joking and flirting with Savannah, which suddenly made me nervous and told myself to turn my head and take control.I barely knew Savannah, let alone what she thought of me, and besides, I had no desire to start something I couldn't finish.In a few weeks, I'm going back to Germany on leave, and it's going to be over, it doesn't make any sense.That's what I told myself, probably trying to convince myself to hurry home after eating.Someone came over and interrupted my thoughts.A tall, thin guy with dark hair parted at the side and a receding hairline, the kind of guy who seemed born middle-aged. "You're John, right?" He knelt down in front of me with a smile on his face. "I'm Tim Whedon." He held out his hand. "I heard you helped Savannah. I know she appreciates you." I shook his hand and said, "Nice meeting." My attitude Reserved, but Tim's smile is more genuine than Brad's or Randy's.Tim didn't say a word when he saw my tattoos, which was new.I should say that these tattoos are not small, in fact they almost cover both arms.Some people say that I will regret it when I get old, but when I went to tattoo these patterns, I didn't care about the future at all.I still don't care now. "Mind if I sit down?" "Go ahead." Tim sat down, adjusting to a comfortable position that didn't crowd me or sit too far away. "Glad you came, I mean, it's nothing, but dinner was good. Hungry?" "Actually, I'm starving." "That's what surfing is." "Do you surf, too?" "No .But water sports always made me hungry, as a kid on beach vacations. We used to go to Pine Hill Shores every summer, have you ever been there?" "Only once. That's enough." " Yes, I think so." Tim pointed to my surfboard, "Do you like longboards?" "Both are good. But the waves here are better for longboards. For short boards, you have to be in the Pacific Ocean "Have you ever been? Hawaii, Bali, New Zealand or something? I've read that those are the best places." "Not yet." I'm surprised Tim still knows about this, "Maybe in the future Will go someday." There was a crackling sound from a section of wood, and there was a burst of sparks.I clasped my hands, knowing it was time for me to speak. "I heard that you are here to help the poor build houses." "Did Savannah tell you? That's right, that's the plan. There are several families here who are in dire need of help. I hope they can move into their new homes by the end of July." . . . " "It's amazing to be able to do something good." "It's not just me. I'd like to ask you..." "I guess, should I join in?" Tim laughed. "It's not like that. It's funny though, I've heard people say it before. As soon as I show up, most people usually run away. I guess I put everything on my face. I'm far away, it's Off topic. Although unlikely, I was asking if you knew my cousin. He's stationed at Fort Bragg." "Sorry, I'm stationed in Germany." "Ramstein?" "No. Ramsch Stein is an air force base, but it's very close to my base. How?" "I was in Frankfurt last December, and I went to Christmas with my family. Our family originally came from there, and my grandparents are still there." Lives in Germany." "It's a small world." "Can you speak German?" "Not a word." "Me too. The pity is that my parents speak German very well, and I used to listen to it at home when I was a child. They said, I went to study before I went to Germany. But you know what? I just couldn’t understand. I guess I probably passed the German test at low altitude. When I was in Germany, I could only nod at the dinner table every day, Pretend I understand. Luckily my brother is about the same as me, so we both act like idiots." I laughed out loud, and Tim's expression was genuine and unabashed, and although I didn't intend to get too close, I found it very It's hard not to like this person. "Hey, can I get you something to eat?" "Savana went to get it." "I should have thought so. She's the perfect hostess. As always." "Savana said you two grew up Growing up together?" Tim nodded. "Her ranch is next door to my house. We have been to the same school and the same church for several years. Now we are still in the same university. Savannah is like my sister, she is very special." Although she is like a sister, I think Tim meant something when he said Savannah was "special" and that his feelings for Savannah were deeper than he was willing to let on.Unlike Randy, though, Tim wasn't at all jealous that Savannah invited me.Before I could think too much, Savannah appeared on the steps and walked towards us. "I see you and Tim have met face to face." Savannah said and nodded.In one hand he held two plates of grilled chicken, potato salad, and potato chips; in the other he held two cans of Diet Coke Pepsi. "Yeah, I'll come over to say hello and thank him," Tim explained, "and tell him a little family story to bore him." "Fine. I just wanted you two to meet up." Like Tim, Savannah ignored my tattoo and held up her plate. "Dinner is ready, Tim, do you want to eat my plate? I can get it again." "No, I'll just go by myself." Tim stood up, "But thanks, you two eat!" Tim clapped Pat the sand on the shorts. "Hey John, nice to meet you. If you're around tomorrow, you're welcome to come and play." "Thanks. Nice to meet you, too." Then Tim turned and walked back up the stairs without looking back, just following Greeted by someone approaching, they walked all the way back to the terrace. Savannah handed me a plate and some plastic cutlery, then handed me a drink before sitting down next to me.I couldn't help but notice that she was sitting very close, but not close enough that we would touch each other.Savannah put the plate on her lap, reached for the can without much hesitation, raised the can and said, "I saw you drinking beer this afternoon. But you said you can take anything, so I helped you get a can of this." I'm not sure exactly what you want to drink." "Coke is good." "Sure? There's a lot of beer in the ice bucket, and I've heard of the soldier's custom." I snorted, noncommittal, and pulled the can away pull ring. "I think so. I guess you don't drink?" "No." There was nothing defensive or dismissive in her tone, just plain.Well, I like it. Savannah took a bite of the grilled chicken, and I ate it too.In the silence, I thought about Savannah and Tim, and wondered if Savannah knew how Tim really felt.I'm also wondering what Savannah thinks of Tim.There's something between these two, but I can't tell unless Tim means it when he says they're like brother and sister.I doubt it though. "What is your rank in the army?" Savannah finally put down her fork and asked. "I'm the Master Chief of the Infantry Regiment. Heavy Weapons Team." "What's life like in the Army? I mean, what do you do every day? Shoot? Demolition? Or something else?" "Sometimes. Part of the time is boring, at least on base. Call roll in the morning, around six o’clock, make sure everyone is there, and then work out in small groups. Play basketball, run, lift weights. Sometimes there are classes, It may be weapon assembly or night combat training, and they will also go to the shooting range to shoot targets. If there is no special plan, go back to the dormitory after the roll call, and then read books, play video games or exercise all day long. We will meet again at 4 pm. Look at tomorrow's plan. That's how the day goes." "Play video games?" "I usually read books or exercise, but a few brothers are good at video games. Usually the more bloody they are, the more they love them." "What books do you read?" I mentioned a few writers I liked, and Savannah thought for a moment, then continued to ask: "What about when you go to the battlefield?" , stand guard. There's always something broken to fix, so it's going to be busy. Even when you're not on patrol. But the infantry regiment is a ground force, so it's out most of the time." "Ever scared?" I Search for the correct word in my heart and answer: "Yes, sometimes. But it's not that I'm afraid outside at any time, even if the situation around me may be very bad. It's more like... an instinctive reaction, try to survive and don't die. Things happen. The speed is too fast, I don’t have time to think too much, I can only try my best to do my job well, and I have to try my best to save my life. Usually it’s only when it’s over that I feel scared, and then I think how close I am to the gate of hell, sometimes I tremble and vomit Something." "I can't possibly be like you." Not sure if Savannah was waiting for my answer, so decided to change the subject: "Why special education?" "Long story, are you sure you want to know? " I nodded, and Savannah took a deep breath. "There was a little boy named Alan in Le Noir. I've known him all my life. Alan was autistic for several years and no one knew what to do or communicate with Alan. I really I can’t stand it, you know? Although I was young at the time, I felt so sad. I asked my parents why this happened, and they said that maybe God had other plans for Alan. At first, everyone couldn’t understand the situation, but Allen's brother was always patient with him, always, without exception. Allen's brother never gave up, and slowly Allen began to improve. Although it is impossible to change too much, he still has to live with his parents Together, and it will never be possible to be independent. But Alan is not as helpless as he was when he was a child. Seeing this, I wish I could help children like Alan." "How old were you then?" "Twelve " "Do you want to work at the school and help these kids?" "No. I imagine Ellen's brother, who uses horses." Savannah paused, as if to collect her thoughts. "Children with autism... are like locked in their own world, so school education and treatment are mostly based on repetitive routines. But I hope to give them some new experiences and let them have a way of contacting the outside world door. I've seen it, I mean, at first Alan freaked out when he saw the horse, but his brother kept trying patiently, and after a while, Alan would pat the horse's back and pet the horse Nose, and then he could even feed the horse, and later, Alan was able to ride a horse, and I still remember the look on his face when he got on the horse for the first time... It was amazing, can you understand? Alan was laughing, like a normal This is the experience I hope other children with autism can have. It is just... the simple joy, even if it is short, it is worth it. At that moment, I know what I want to do with my life. Maybe It ends up being a stud farm where I ride horses for kids with autism, and I think that's where I can really help these kids." Savannah puts down her fork, as if a little embarrassed, and sets the plate aside. "Sounds great." "Have to wait," Savannah sat up in her chair, "it's just a dream right now." "I guess you like horses too?" "Every girl likes horses, don't you You know? But yes, I love horses. I have a horse at home called Meadows, and sometimes it makes me sad to think that I should be able to ride at home instead of volunteering here." "Finally telling the truth "Yeah, but I'll stay. Just go home and ride from morning till night. Do you know how to ride?" "Rided once." "Like it?" "Sore all over the next day , can't walk." Savannah giggled, and I found myself enjoying talking to her.It's natural and easy, unlike talking to most people.In the sky overhead, the three stars of Orion's belt can be seen; Venus shines brightly at sea level.The men and women on the stairs went up and down, flirting wantonly with alcohol.I sigh. "I should go so I can go home and see my dad. He's probably wondering where I am. I mean if he's still awake." "Would you like to make a phone call? It's okay to use the phone." "No Just go back. It's a short walk." "Don't you have a car?" "No. I hitchhiked here this morning." "Should I ask Tim to drive you home? I know he wouldn't mind Yes." "No, it's okay." "Don't be silly, you said you were going to go for a long time, didn't you? I'll ask Tim to drop you off, and I'll get him." Before I could stop, Savannah jumped Get up and find Tim.Tim followed Savannah a minute later. "Tim would love to take you home." Savannah looked a little too smug. I turned to Tim. "Are you sure?" "100 percent," Tim assured. "My truck parks in the front and the surfboard fits in the back." He pointed to the surfboard. "Do you want to help?" "No," I stood up, "I'll just do it." I walked to the chair with my coat on, picked up the clothes and put them back on, and picked up the surfboard. "Thanks." "You're welcome." Tim patted his pocket, "I'll get a key and I'll be right over. It's the green truck on the grass." Tim left, and I turned to Savannah: "Nice to meet you You." Savannah looked at me: "Me too. I've never met a soldier before, I feel... very safe. And Randy shouldn't bother me tonight, your tattoo probably scared him away .” So Savannah noticed anyway. "Hope to see you again in a few days." "You know where I am." Not sure if Savannah meant to invite me over again, but then again, she's an enigma in many ways, I still don't know much about it. Savannah, as if suddenly remembering, added, "I'm a little disappointed you forgot what you said." "What did I say?" "Didn't you say you were going to teach me to surf?" If Tim understood The influence of Savannah on me, or knowing that I will show up tomorrow, then he hid it very well, driving attentively along the way, making sure that he was heading in the right direction.Tim is the kind of driver who is very cautious, will stop before the yellow light flashes, and will not try to drive through it at all. "Hope you had a good time tonight, I know it's kind of weird not knowing a lot of people." "Indeed." "You and Savannah hit it off. Savannah is special, isn't she? I think she likes you. "We had a good chat." "It's good. I'm a little worried about Savannah coming here to volunteer. Last year her parents were with us, and this year is the first time she's here by herself. I know Savannah It's grown-ups, but she's not in the same group, and the last thing I want is to see Savannah spend the night chasing flies around her." "I'm pretty sure she's taking care of herself." "You're probably right , but I think some guys are stubborn." "Of course, young lad!" Tim laughed. "I think you're right." He pointed out the window, "Where are we going now?" I led him around several turns, and finally told him to slow down.Tim pulled up in front of my house and could see the dim yellow lights of Dad's study from the car. "Thank you for giving me a ride." I thanked, opened the door and got out of the car. "You're welcome." Tim said over the driver's seat. "Hey, I said you're welcome to come and play anytime. We usually have to work, but we're here on weekends and evenings." "I'll remember." Once inside, I Go to Dad's study and open the door; Dad was reading "Grey Pages" and jumped up in fright, and I didn't know he didn't hear me coming back. "Sorry," I said, sitting on the steps connecting the study to the hallway, "I didn't mean to scare you." "It's okay." That's all Dad said, and it was obvious that he was wondering if he should pay attention. Turning to me, in the end Dad decided to put the Gray Pages aside. "The waves were so good today, I almost forgot how much fun surfing is." Dad smiled, but said nothing.I moved on the steps. "How was work today?" "Same." Dad was lost in his own thoughts again, and it occurred to me that his answer was also a good way to describe our father and son conversation.