Day 9.

“You know I remember the summer after graduation. Came back here, too. We’ve got a lot in common, you and me. I was scared spitless to actually teach. See, I wanted to teach college, but I was just out of it myself, and couldn’t afford to go to school for my doctorate yet.”

“Yeah, I know this story, Dad,” I smiled.

“Just don’t get yourself down because things don’t seem to be going so hot,” he said as he readjusted his glasses. That sentence was a result of him spending far too much time with college students and not really being able to work the language. Or, at least not sounding like he knew how.

Neither of us said anything for a second, then I was suddenly struck with a brilliant thought. One of those brilliant thoughts that sound so amazing and clever before you say them, until you get it out, then you realize maybe it would have been smarter to shut up and not cause undue interest.

“You know anything about that old church at the end of the road?”

“Oh sure. Its been there since I was a kid. Hell I think its been there since my father was a kid.” He took off his glasses and looked at me. He did that sometimes when he wanted to look poignant or serious. It didn’t make any sense because he could see less than I could without glasses. I’m pretty sure he’s legally blind without them. Maybe even with them.

“You know anything about it though?”

Dad looked up at the ceiling, rubbed the back of his neck. He did that when he thought. Some people scratched their heads, some people narrowed their eyes, Dad rubbed the back of his neck.

Its like he was made for college students to good-naturedly poke fun at him.

“Well lets see... I think it was a Methodist church. I had a friend back when I was in grade school who used to go to it, but I seem to remember it being shut down soon after that.”

“Why?”

“Come to think of it... I never really knew. Didn’t you used to play then when you were a kid?”

“Yeah... You know where I can get any more information about it?”

“I do believe that Professor McLaughlin wrote a local history book a few years back. You know, the head of history department at the college. And... I seem to remember there being a local folk lore book published at the school press maybe ten years ago. Professor Jhonas from my department.