here forever."
"I wish we could," said his father. "But we have our lives to
live, you know."
"Part of me will always live here."
"Yes," said his mother. "Part of all of us will."
"Can Evelyn and I walk around the lake one last time?"
"I don't want to."
"Come with me, Evie. I'll show you some neat trees you
haven't seen before."
"I've seen enough trees."
"If you come, I'll take your picture."
"Big deal."
"Why don't you go with Adam?" said their mother.
"Oh, okay. C'mon squirt. Why are you bringing that stupid
pine cone?"
"It's magic."
"Oh, sure."
When they reached the spot where Adam had left the trail, he
said, "This way, Evie, the trees are over here."
"It's getting too dark. I don't want to go there."
"I planted them this afternoon."
"Why do you say such stupid things?"
"Please just come."
"Oh, okay."
As they approached the grove he felt like he was returning
home. He was bringing his sister to his tree siblings. "Aren't
they nice trees?"
FIAT SILVA 77
"They're just trees."
"Can't you hear them talk? Feel them? Just sit quiet for a min-
ute."
"Oh, okay." After a minute she said, "You're right, Adam.
There's something very friendly here, and it's funny, but it feels
like you somehow."
"Yes, that's what I wanted to show you. Now we can go back.
I'll tell you why," and he told her about his afternoon.
"Oh sure, Adam. Someday you've got to grow up."
The next morning they rolled up the sleeping bags, folded the
tents, and tidied the campsite. "Everybody in the van," said their
father. "Let's go."
"Adam, leave that pine cone here."
"It's a souvenir. Mom. Can't I bring it, Dad?"
"You know we're not supposed to take anything from a na-
tional park."
"I do know, but this is special,"
"It's his magic pine cone, Dad," Evelyn said sarcastically.
"Glen, why don't you let him take it?"
"All right. I hope it doesn't just end up gathering dust under
your dresser."
"It won't, I promise."
Adam and Evelyn sat in back facing the rear as they drove
down the mountainside. "I'll miss the forest."
"Me, too, but I'm not sorry to be going home."
"Part of me is here."
"Oh, Adam, you're so sappy."
"Really, Evie. The trees are talking to me."
"Okay. Prove it. Show me how that pine cone of yours works."
"I will, but wait till we stop somewhere."
"You're just procrastinating because you made it up and you
don't want me to find out."
"Wait till we get somewhere there aren't any trees. Down in
the valley."
The day warmed up as the sun rose higher and they descended
into farmland. "Is this good enough?" Evelyn asked.
"Yeah. Now we have to get Mom and Dad to stop."
"I'm hot," said Evelyn loudly.
"I'm thirsty," said Adam.
"Okay," said their mother. "We'll stop at the next town for so-
das." They left the freeway and pulled into a shopping center's
78 Jack OaUey
broad asphalt parking lot. Their father opened the back door.
"Come in and pick out your drinks."
"I'll stay here," said Adam, "Just get me an orange soda."
"Me, too," said Evelyn.
"You sure you want to sit out here in the hot sun?*'
"That's okay."
"Me, too."
As their parents walked toward the store, they heard their
mother say, "I can't understand these kids. They want to stop,
but then they don't want to get out."
Adam laughed.
"Show me," commanded Evelyn.
"Okay. Watch." He tapped the cone and gathered the seeds.
"Now you breathe your spirit into them."
"Come off it."
"Watch." He breathed over his palm and felt faint again, as a
small part of himself flowed out. "It feels funny." He closed his
eyes and concentrated on establishing a new balance with the
warm life vibrating in his hand. "Okay." He tossed them out the
door.
Evelyn watched the brown spheres bounce and with a sudden
small green flash adhere to the asphalt. "Mmph!" said Adam. Her
eyes widened as six green stems
"I wish we could," said his father. "But we have our lives to
live, you know."
"Part of me will always live here."
"Yes," said his mother. "Part of all of us will."
"Can Evelyn and I walk around the lake one last time?"
"I don't want to."
"Come with me, Evie. I'll show you some neat trees you
haven't seen before."
"I've seen enough trees."
"If you come, I'll take your picture."
"Big deal."
"Why don't you go with Adam?" said their mother.
"Oh, okay. C'mon squirt. Why are you bringing that stupid
pine cone?"
"It's magic."
"Oh, sure."
When they reached the spot where Adam had left the trail, he
said, "This way, Evie, the trees are over here."
"It's getting too dark. I don't want to go there."
"I planted them this afternoon."
"Why do you say such stupid things?"
"Please just come."
"Oh, okay."
As they approached the grove he felt like he was returning
home. He was bringing his sister to his tree siblings. "Aren't
they nice trees?"
FIAT SILVA 77
"They're just trees."
"Can't you hear them talk? Feel them? Just sit quiet for a min-
ute."
"Oh, okay." After a minute she said, "You're right, Adam.
There's something very friendly here, and it's funny, but it feels
like you somehow."
"Yes, that's what I wanted to show you. Now we can go back.
I'll tell you why," and he told her about his afternoon.
"Oh sure, Adam. Someday you've got to grow up."
The next morning they rolled up the sleeping bags, folded the
tents, and tidied the campsite. "Everybody in the van," said their
father. "Let's go."
"Adam, leave that pine cone here."
"It's a souvenir. Mom. Can't I bring it, Dad?"
"You know we're not supposed to take anything from a na-
tional park."
"I do know, but this is special,"
"It's his magic pine cone, Dad," Evelyn said sarcastically.
"Glen, why don't you let him take it?"
"All right. I hope it doesn't just end up gathering dust under
your dresser."
"It won't, I promise."
Adam and Evelyn sat in back facing the rear as they drove
down the mountainside. "I'll miss the forest."
"Me, too, but I'm not sorry to be going home."
"Part of me is here."
"Oh, Adam, you're so sappy."
"Really, Evie. The trees are talking to me."
"Okay. Prove it. Show me how that pine cone of yours works."
"I will, but wait till we stop somewhere."
"You're just procrastinating because you made it up and you
don't want me to find out."
"Wait till we get somewhere there aren't any trees. Down in
the valley."
The day warmed up as the sun rose higher and they descended
into farmland. "Is this good enough?" Evelyn asked.
"Yeah. Now we have to get Mom and Dad to stop."
"I'm hot," said Evelyn loudly.
"I'm thirsty," said Adam.
"Okay," said their mother. "We'll stop at the next town for so-
das." They left the freeway and pulled into a shopping center's
78 Jack OaUey
broad asphalt parking lot. Their father opened the back door.
"Come in and pick out your drinks."
"I'll stay here," said Adam, "Just get me an orange soda."
"Me, too," said Evelyn.
"You sure you want to sit out here in the hot sun?*'
"That's okay."
"Me, too."
As their parents walked toward the store, they heard their
mother say, "I can't understand these kids. They want to stop,
but then they don't want to get out."
Adam laughed.
"Show me," commanded Evelyn.
"Okay. Watch." He tapped the cone and gathered the seeds.
"Now you breathe your spirit into them."
"Come off it."
"Watch." He breathed over his palm and felt faint again, as a
small part of himself flowed out. "It feels funny." He closed his
eyes and concentrated on establishing a new balance with the
warm life vibrating in his hand. "Okay." He tossed them out the
door.
Evelyn watched the brown spheres bounce and with a sudden
small green flash adhere to the asphalt. "Mmph!" said Adam. Her
eyes widened as six green stems
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