It was Halloween night and my five year old son and I had just gotten home from trick-or-treating. I got him out of his circus clown costume, washed him up and had him brush his teeth and then we were off to bed.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwzcKrL3Af
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirJAmXMWPP
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“I sure am glad that you're my son,” I told Jace after we had finished reading his storybook for the night.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvXyWnGOPb
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhOeFR4Xaz
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJYuviwVFt
“I'm glad you're my daddy, too,” he replied.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPvBotTyAg
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLogbUJ9Rd
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4wVHkyR0k
I leaned in and snuggled him against me, “Alright,” I said, “It's hug time and then sleepy time.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3kIa0pLPf
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3XQVvZMpp
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3InjWKIul
Jace gave me a tight hug and laid up against me until he was in the verge of sleep. “I used to be your daddy,” he said in a dreamy, half conscious manner. The look on his five year old face was dead serious. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOkNBoX7hl
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AwFLZXQaF
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPnSUhiRII
Raising my eyebrow I said, “No, silly boy. I've always been your daddy.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjwGDgHhLU
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XrnyF5hoY
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe7J1D19QJ
“Nuh uh,” he quickly responded. “I used to be your daddy and you used to be my daughter.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFg8nRYiDp
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RXwZ2TVJw
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxokaXrJPKL
“What are you talking about, crazy butt?” I asked him.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTKikBqo3G
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡey5YeeS9Qy
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1ncR3uZ0p
“Back when we lived in Minnesota,” he said. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoOdVymeRq
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0trYqfZx7
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIShFgL3PQ
“Minnesota?” I said. “We've always lived right here.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewmoMTpfC4
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEZKM1BRCn
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVowO9UTST7
“Nuh uh,” he said again. “First we lived in the homeland and then we comed to America on a ship. It was stinky and made mama’s tummy hurt. She was glad when we got off it.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidhiYb9Dh0
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTjDukU5pi
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6rMFN101U
“Have you been learning about immigrants at school?” I asked him with half a smile on my face.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOQIxwKIn5
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXLbW1MKuf
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXjMeBQYEk
A puzzled look swept across his face. “What's an injagrent?” he asked. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEYHJ3hE1i
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPlZNfUzrr
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc72BMOAMAn
“An immigrant,” I answered. “A person who came here from another country.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtqkDBK5X4
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtOV5YIue6
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCopJIRUdeA
“Like we did?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkn556g0fn
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRIdkbjMoS
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIYbSB9NhK
“Not like we did. We have always lived here.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTHM3bW3LJ
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94Mqrg5fUh
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAg1yUOT8a
“Daaaaaaad,” Jace responded, “I tolded you! We used to live in Minnesota!”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GjspWyc8N
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywszz9kVxV
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8dPebL8Qq
“You're telling stories, sir,” I said to him and gave him a quick tickle. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnndmXsWRcf
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlschaKvxx1
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVLakX3zow
He laughed. “No I'm not!” he said. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF45aGW2qov
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhRLPITb8R
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UZUtkw2g2
“Well if we came over on a ship,” I said, “then how did we get to Minnesota?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmW1Y8fvgy
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCPadVi5KX
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOu2jCVM21a
“Mama didn't like the town we were in, so she said that we needed to go somewhere else,” he responded. “She said it was too crowded and people were mean.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQzrm315pQ
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxtDENqSfa
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhmeaAjGbx
My half smile turned into a look of pure curiosity. Where had he heard these things? Had he maybe seen a documentary on tv? Where was he getting this information?932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9q9Km7x8J
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bTKw3TvkN
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvz0dQHC6YW
“How did we get to Minnisota?” I asked him.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oCL08U5pI
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eB1ehYuaE
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“Me and mama workded until we could buy a two horses and a wagon. Then we rode and walked. It was a long way.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWLhYaubGW
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NxGjQWP2P
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“A very long way,” I said. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5kEdTjRf3
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrVpbXXCF3
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfyoiF3BVH
“But we gotted there after a while,” he said. “And then we made a farm.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvuOsSDYJu
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0Dx6zn5w4
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58N50eWnNh
“We were farmers?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmv2Rb86vb
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhfdSIPqc6
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRCXP08PPe
“Yeah, but it wasn't easy. Mama cried a lot.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOyiQmsziG
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcX0WE9s5W
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXEErOZKZo
“Why did mama cry?” 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5a6VRDiji
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulqEu1XSBr
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DFMeF9JOZ
“Cuz she missed the homeland and her little sister.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpn4eVcMCL0
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOx2MGGRd9e
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGB4hj6ctBS
I was taken back by the conversation my five year old son and I were having. He had never told me a story like the one he was telling me. It was unnerving listening to him to provide answers with such clarity.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoES21Vkgc
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNnWMFl5Uw
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9TqA1IAPr
“Well,” I asked, “were we good farmers?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbFZwfSv5M
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVISB9wJmP
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1Mylwrurs
Shaking his head he said, “No. The dirt wasn't very good and I didn't really know how to do it good. You and mama had to get jobs in town. That's where you met him.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlYObBjLza
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaGCc6kVBy
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The way he had said “him” was curious. He said it with no small amount of bitterness. “Who did I meet?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdwtSvlXr4
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOA08ZcFLN
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvOknbC2Qk
“The red headed boy from the farm next door,” he answered without pause. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBDoKrHSem
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKJwoYjCQB
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“Was he a nice boy?” I asked. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh7kI1D5no
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“No,” he replied. “He took you away from your chores and you wanted to spend all your time with him.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wANSXD7vF
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2eBCkzsN3
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1rS9yEdid
“Was he a boyfriend?” I questioned.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9B6c3alzF
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqffH3oNptm
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6OLKbmyua
“No. I told you no daughter of mine is going to be married to a spud eater,” he said. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYA3B1nlE0w
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtou6g7xpG
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGKnFDtWm9
“A spud eater?” I asked. “What's that?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGoeN7Yf8M
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqC7MpQs4E
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ORUFEopYk
“I can't remember,” he said. “It was cuz he was innish I think.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5zOJZHNhX
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVMa9M9pMg
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssnX8u9BCN
“Innish?” I inquired.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPutGgQEB4
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡev70sN6OuR
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aPea07ImX
“Yeah, innish,” he answered. “His family comed over on a boat, too.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCL4NzZRs3a
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR9bRfTHsX
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcfGWecYfz
“Irish?” I asked. “Do you mean he was Irish?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lhF1GtcK2
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IA9avUYjY
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PcPFEUqtq
“Yes,” he said sleepily. “Irish. That was it.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvh9aBsczP
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZujkrlwDP
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjEpkZfChD
I became very concerned. Where had he heard this? Had someone been been using racial slurs around my son? Maybe someone at school?932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gmq1BdCgW
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH07JB0uXdl
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6e7thmxdE8
“You didn't like him because he was Irish?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrf3k0Klg1R
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobYnLPaIBD
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEQnbucGiQ
“Yeah,” he responded immediately. “I told him to stay away, but you kept sneaking out to see him.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnew9aZGO6n
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlufv46Woh
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zYUxKGiGi
“Did mama care that I was visiting the Irish boy?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7XgNHSvYw
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HNd9kLJ7Z
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSwlMBAe0F
“No. She said he made you happy, so we should be happy, too.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvm1AxW6qz
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXYRO88mGy
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Oh827Q3aM
“Were you happy?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKdd0qlkeW
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Ck4PdFgTM
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcyQde8HgV
He got quiet.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsi4iekoVS
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEm0mcNkyq
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK20RRigLyA
“Well?” I said.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYLcEYzU4y
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzawKabHr9
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzNzMs66ya
“No,” he answered. “I told you you couldn't visit him no more and you runned away with him.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAl6EgeVbZ
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyzJnullqT
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnr7Dr2lmt
“I ran away?” 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9dECpsXcY
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G9LpYtb3d
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMur7tslqfH
“Yeah. But you didn't get very far.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmY0kb3Nrv
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFNV7dBEko
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwPYq9EPxn
“I didn't?” I asked. “Did you bring me home to be with you and mama?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITncEj8Km2
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkM0tp8pWcp
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauHPC4jGnI
“No. When I founded you you said you weren't coming home and the red headed boy told me to go away,” he said. “But I told him you was my daughter and you was coming home with me.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllvY0T3Bto
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2wXH2mPFN
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrQQmhCM0e
“Was he very happy about that?” I asked; not really wanting to know the answer. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXizUMdfmFb
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFrc5R3nzV
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9W9cRN7Yf1
“He weren't happy at all,” Jace responded. “He tried to whack me.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2BhkHbZHA
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0lWZ0vN68
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgwZsYqemn
“He tried to whack you?” I said.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkurW9hapR
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDWQgJXnEg
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk2G41YmkS
“Yeah,” Jace replied, “But I whopped him with a wood chopper and he falled down.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9vXxKGy7E
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNRcWyP4eJ
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCv6g3AU6NO
I sat in a stunned silence for a moment. I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of my son’s mouth. I didn't want to know, but I had to ask. “A wood chopper?”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oxRU2rIG7
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEEgrYcc4K
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeuRR1l9Dc
“I whopped him with one,” he said. “He didn't try to whack me no more.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTG46OOExv
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6E4Ni8nKy
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJM9D7kTyrO
“So what did I do?” I cautiously asked him.932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDTRP8znKz
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7iLScRBsC
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsG8xaOJXd
“You comed out and told me you was gonna to go tell everyone in town,” he said in a tired voice. He was on the verge of sleep. “So I whopped you with the wood chopper, too,” he said dreamily. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXxjAPWpTp
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKepE3KFvI
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUkxBAxRlV
“What?” I said as other words escaped me. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvAzrcK5A6
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWhr1MohpW
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKt81Asm2Gf
“I whopped you, too,” he said. “And I digged a hole in the ground and put you two in it.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAe3J16joWe
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxrY2OQpff
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2SBeB79il
He turned onto his side and started to close his eyes. Sleep was beginning to set in. A chill crawled up my spine and my arm and neck hair was literally standing on end. This couldn't have come from the mind of my five year old. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8csAi2dhv
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfNtPvNONQ
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAYtu1A3DY
“What did mama say?” I whispered. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgMlpOkXUh
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXs6vNqA9F
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPsgo9KVEk
There was silence. I thought he had fallen asleep, but as soon as I sat up and put my feet over the edge of his bed he said in the sleepy voice, “She asked if I found you and I said no. But I knowed where you was. I knowed where you would be forever.”932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZibjbEmxJ
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSsoPiwiXX
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSrIi6WaC3
And with that the heavy, steady breathing of sleep sat in. I stood up and stared at my sleeping son for I don't know how long. I was shaken. It took me a long time to get to sleep that night. 932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJUBaMJq1Z
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Tly8424Vb
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932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlq6G35vnLW
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932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqUwrE57EI
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932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgdUzAWBMT
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932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJrgW4tQag
932Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRwK1paKIP
