A SPECIAL MAN
By: Deborah S.
 
 
Adam looked the page in the diary once more before closing it. All of the 
sudden he felt restless. He couldn’t explain it, but it was as if he 
couldn’t leave Boston just yet. “All aboard,” he heard the conductor say. 
Adam grabbed his baggage, sprung from his seat and got off the train just 
before the train started. He watched the train leave not knowing why he got 
off. Just that he had to.
 
Adam walked down the street not knowing where he was going. He came to a 
restaurant and sat down for a bite to eat and to think. He went to the 
cemetery walking over to the newly dug grave of his grandmother. He placed 
his baggage on the ground then looked down over the grave of Sarah Richards 
Stoddard. “Why can’t I leave Grandmother? Why? Why am I staying here?” 
he asked not expecting an answer. “Did you know her lad?” an elderly man’s 
voice asked. Adam looked behind him. There stood an elderly gentlemen in 
his late seventies. He was a tall man with a grey beard. His head was bald 
on top, with white hair on the sides. He stood there with his hands clasped 
behind his back. “Did you know her sir?” Adam asked the elderly gentlemen.
 
“Aye lad, once upon a time I did. She was the love of my life. The mother 
of my child. For me she died many years ago,” he replied.
 
“If that is how you feel about her then why did you come here?” Adam asked.
 
“I don’t know. I just felt I had to come here. Who knows maybe I expected 
an answer from her. Although no answer could ever make me forgive her,” he 
replied.
 
“Then why don’t you just leave?” Adam asked.
 
“I will when I’m good and ready to and not one minute before. Plus I always 
visit my daughter on Sunday,” the man replied.
 
“Then why don’t you just go see your daughter and leave me alone?” Adam 
asked.
 
“Haven’t you ever heard of respect for your elders boy?” the man asked.
 
“When I find an elder to be respectful to I will be,” Adam replied looking 
the man in the eyes.
 
“If I were a young man I’d beat the tar out of you,” the man said looking 
Adam in the eyes. Adam turned looking at Sarah’s grave again. “Sorry lad,” 
the man said putting his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “I speak my mind a wee 
too much. I spoke out of turn where you are concerned. She meant something 
to you?” he asked.
 
“Yes,” Adam replied. The elderly man turned Adam around. “Look in my eyes 
again boy,” he said. Adam looked in the elderly man’s eyes. “Young man 
come with me. There’s someone I want you to meet,” the elderly man said 
taking Adam by his arm and leading him a ways into the cemetery. The 
elderly gentlemen couldn’t walk very fast so Adam slowed his pace. He had no 
idea where this man was taking him. “Right here boy. Stop right here. 
Before you look down at this grave tell me one thing. Is your name Adam 
Cartwright?” he asked.
 
“How did you know who I was?” Adam asked.
 
“Adam I would like you to meet my daughter Elizabeth Stoddard Cartwright. 
Your Mother,” he replied. Adam looked at the man before turning to look at 
the headstone with his mother’s name on it. Adam knelt down on his knees 
gazing upon the stone that had his Mother’s name on it. How many times in 
his life had he thought about this moment? Of finally seeing his Mother’s 
grave. His Mother was right below him. It’s the closest Adam had been or 
would ever be to her in this life. “It’s all right if you want to cry boy. 
I won’t laugh at you if you do,” the man said. Adam looked back at the man 
then back at the name on the stone. “Are you my Grandfather?” he asked.
 
“Aye, I be him,” Abel replied. Adam touched the stone with his hands. “Do 
you know what it feels like to never know your Mother? To never know her 
touch, her smile or her sweet voice? To have only seen her in a picture? 
To know that you, that you were responsible for her death?” Adam asked.
 
“Did you know Sarah?” Abel asked.
 
Adam stood. “For a few months. I know you dislike her but I loved her. I 
think if you had been there for her instead of going off to sea, she may not 
have run away like she did. You weren’t blameless here. You should have 
known your wife well enough to know she needed you. You should have loved 
her enough to be there for her when she needed you most. What kind of a 
husband were you anyway?” Adam asked. Abel walked a few steps away, his 
hands still clasped behind his back. “I couldn’t take it anymore. I 
couldn’t live up to the man I once was in her mind. No matter what I did or 
said it wasn’t good enough for her. She didn’t want anything in this life 
but to go back home again. She hated me more and more each day, blaming me 
for the loss of her family. When I heard about her parent’s death I went 
to the bar to drown in my own sorrows. I’d rather that then hear her once 
again tell me what a mistake she had made marrying me. Do you know what 
that does to a man Adam to hear day upon day that I ruined her life? I 
started to go out to sea more and more. Anything to stay away from home. 
Elizabeth was old enough to understand what was happening, and that’s why 
she never blamed me for her mother’s so called death. What kind of a woman 
lets her husband and her only child think she’s dead when she isn’t? Tell 
me Adam. What kind of a woman would do that to her family?” Abel asked.
 
“All I hear from you is how she did this to me and how could she do that to 
me. Where are you saying that you should have been there for her when she 
needed you? In her diary I read where she tried to talk to you about 
things, but you couldn’t care less about her feelings. You just ran away to 
sea where everything was perfect. Then you come back home and you wonder 
why she wished she hadn’t married you? Why she began to hate you and your 
marriage? You know my father used to tell me stories about you and your 
adventures at sea. I thought you were the most wonderful man outside of my 
father ever. Well I was evidently wrong. You are a selfish old man and I 
think you always have been. I’m ashamed your blood runs through my veins,” 
Adam said. Abel slapped his face hard. Adam was mad and breathed hard but 
he didn’t hit back.
 
“You don’t know me. How dare you say what you said to me when you don’t 
even know me. I always thought my Grandson would grow up to be a man. Well 
I was wrong about that one lad. No Grandson of mine would ever say he was 
ashamed my blood runs their his veins. The devil take you,” Abel said 
walking away. Adam stood there wishing he’d never gotten off that train.
 
Adam walked the streets baggage in hand looking for a place to stay for the 
night. He decided to go back to his Grandmother’s family’s house. When 
Hannah answered the door and saw Adam standing there she invited him in. 
“Adam, I thought you were on your way back to Nevada,” she said. He was so 
upset he just sat down. “What is it Adam? Is something wrong?” she asked. 
Adam told her what happened in the cemetery. “Did you know my Grandfather 
was still alive? Did Sarah?” he asked.
 
“Yes, I knew. Sarah found out when she arrived here. She was going to tell 
you the night of her birthday party but you know she couldn’t have,” Hannah 
replied.
 
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
 
“You didn’t inquire about your Grandfather so I didn’t think you wanted to 
know about him,” she replied.
 
“I didn’t ask because I thought he had died many, many years ago. My Father 
tried for many years to find out about him. He never got an answer from 
anybody about him. He just assumed he was dead as well. What else could he 
think?” Adam asked.
 
“Abel is a bitter old man Adam. He still lives in the house that you were 
born in. If you would like I could have you driven there,” she replied.
 
“I don’t know if I ever want to see him again or not. I don’t think he’ll 
ever want to see me again though. Today wasn’t the day to be surprised by 
him there. Of all places why there?” Adam asked.
 
“I guess he heard about he death and waited until the day after she was 
buried to go see her,” Hannah said putting her arm around his arm. “Adam, 
how would you feel if your mother weren’t dead? If she had been alive all 
these years and hadn’t let you know she was alive? How would that make you 
feel?” she asked.
 
“Mad and cheated and wondering why,” Adam replied.
 
“Would he feel anything less then those things finding out Sarah had been 
alive all these years? Abel loved her Adam. He may talk tough but he loved 
her. He felt such guilt in being the cause of Sarah’s split from our 
family. I think he went to sea not to get away from Sarah but to get away 
from his guilt. He wasn’t a bad man Adam. You are a bit prejudiced right 
now, because you only have one side of the story and that’s Sarah’s side. 
Why don’t you go talk to your Grandfather? Ask him his side of that same 
story. You owe him that Adam. You are his Grandson. The only family he has 
left in this world. The only thing that has kept him going all these years. 
 Oh I know this because he’s told me. Abel and I became good friends over 
the years. I ran into him once in town and we got to talking about Sarah 
and it went from there. Go to him,” Hannah said.
 
“If I am so important to him then why didn’t he let me know he was alive all 
these years?” he asked.
 
“He is ashamed of the man he has become. He wanted you to remember him the 
way he used to be through your Father’s eyes. He barely has money for food 
now. He won’t let me help him because he won’t touch our family’s money. 
He has his house and that’s all he has. If he didn’t have that who knows 
what would have happened to him. His only pleasure in his life is going to 
the cemetery to see Elizabeth every Sunday. How pitiful is that Adam?” she 
asked. Adam took Hannah’s hand in his. “You are one special lady you know 
that Aunt Hannah? I’ll go talk to him or try to at least, but can I come 
back here to stay the night? I plan to leave tomorrow morning so I won’t 
bother you for long,” he said.
 
“Adam, dear Adam, you could stay forever and you wouldn’t ever be a bother,” 
she said then kissed him on his right cheek. He smiled. “I miss Sarah a 
lot,” he said.
 
“I know you do sweetheart. At least you got to know her and that must give 
you some peace of mind. I know you made her so very happy these last few 
months. You should have heard her talk about you and how wonderful and 
handsome a man you were. Poor Elaine next door was ready to go to Nevada 
and take you for hers after listening to Sarah speak of you. Heck I was 
ready to run out there and grab you myself,” she said laughing. He laughed 
as well.
 
“Sarah told me about your Father and your brothers. She said you had two 
other mothers. She said one sort of made you the man you are today. Tell me 
about her Adam,” Hannah said.
 
“Her name was Inger. She was the only real mother I ever knew. She was the 
most loving and caring person I have ever met. She made me feel loved. Oh 
my Father loved me, but this was adifferent kind of love. A love only a 
woman can give. I remember thinking about how our life would be together 
when we reached the West. When my brother Hoss was born I was so happy. It 
was as if we were finally a real family. She didn’t tell my Father she was 
pregnant because she knew he wouldn’t have gone West. She was the most 
unselfish woman I’d ever met as well. I remember sitting in that building 
and watching her die from an Indian’s arrow. I just held my baby brother in 
my arms knowing he too lost his mother. I vowed right then to always love 
and protect him and watch over him. I had to take over for Inger. I had to 
show him the same kind of love she showed me. We’re very close to this day 
and have a special bond because of this,” Adam said.
 
“What about your younger brother? Do you have the same feelings for him?” 
she asked.
 
“Oh I love him just as much, but I have been a surrogate father to him at 
times as well as an older brother. He has had a different beginning then 
Hoss and myself. He had a mother for five years. He knew her love and 
remembers her. He grew up knowing money where I grew up poor for so very 
long and had to struggle. He’s a wonderful young man,” he replied.
 
“I know another wonderful young man, and I know he’s going to make both me 
and his Grandfather proud of him tonight. Now get going young man before I 
give you a spanking,” Hannah said swatting Adam’s behind as he walked away 
from her.
 
Hannah’s driver drove Adam to his Grandfather’s house. He looked at the 
house. This house had haunted him all his life. It was the house where his 
parents married, where he was born and where his mother died. Adam walked 
up to the door. Pausing for a moment he then knocked. After a few moments 
he heard footsteps walking towards the door. When the door opened his 
Grandfather looked at him. “Well what do you want?” he asked curtly.
 
“Are you going to let me in or not?” Adam asked. Abel moved his hand 
suggesting for Adam to come in. Once inside Adam looked around the house. 
He tried to envision his Mother and Father in this house. “Sit down,” his 
Grandfather commanded. Adam sat in a rocking chair by the fireplace. “That 
was your Mother’s favorite chair. She used to sit there in that same spot 
every evening that I can remember,” Abel said.
 
Adam ran his hands up and down the arms of the chair. “What was she like 
Grandfather?” he asked.
 
“What does it matter now that she’s dead?” Abel asked.
 
“It matters to me, and I should hope that it mattered to you as well,” Adam 
replied.
 
“Well it doesn’t,” Abel said sitting down in a chair opposite Adam.
 
“Then why do you visit her every Sunday afternoon?” Adam asked.
 
“Who told you that one boy?” Abel asked.
 
“You know if you aren’t the most obnoxious person I have ever met in my 
entire life. I would like to look at the house if you don’t mind, and then 
I’ll just get out of your life forever,” Adam said standing. He took in the 
room, touching the back of the rocker. “I never said you could look around 
my house,” Abel said sternly.
 
“Then stop me,” Adam replied.
 
“Go ahead and look but don’t expect me to go with you,” Abel said.
 
“Suit yourself, “ Adam replied. Adam walked up the stairs. He walked into 
one of the bedrooms. It was filled with things off of ships. It had to be 
his Grandfather’s room. Adam picked up the compass and looked at it. He 
placed it down. On his Grandfather’s nightstand was a picture of Sarah and 
Elizabeth. On his dresser was a drawing of a baby that had been framed. 
Adam picked it up and looked at it. “I didn’t say you could come in my 
room,” Abel said grabbing the picture from Adam’s hands. “Is that me as a 
baby?” Adam asked.
 
“What if it is?” Abel asked.
 
“I’ve never known what I looked like as a baby. Is that me?” he asked.
 
“Yes it’s you,” Abel replied.
 
“Who drew it?” Adam asked.
 
“If you must know I did. The night before your Father took you out of my 
life for good I came up here and unbeknownst to your Father, I drew you,” 
Abel replied.
 
“May I see it again please?” Adam asked. Abel handed him the picture. 
Adam starred at it. He had always wondered what he had looked like as a 
baby and now he knew. He ran his hand over the glass in the frame, then 
handed the picture back to his Grandfather. “Thank you for letting me see 
it,” Adam said. Abel looked at him in a softer way, then replaced the frame 
on the dresser.
 
Adam walked down the hall to the other bedroom. He put his hand on the 
doorknob and tried to find the inner-strength to open it. His Grandfather 
realized what was happening and opened the door for him. Abel led Adam into 
the room. White Priscilla curtains laced the window. His bed as an infant 
sat to the left of the bed. Adam walked over to it and kneeled down. He 
ran his right hand over the inside of it. Had he ever been so small he 
wondered to himself. Yes he had and he had seen the picture to prove it. 
Adam stood and looked at the bed. The bed where his mother died not long 
after his birth. Adam sat on the bed. “Could you give me a moment by 
myself here, please?” he asked. His Grandfather walked out the door, closing 
it behind him. Adam ran his right hand along the bedspread. He laid down 
on his stomach and bawled like a baby. His Grandfather heard his sobs and 
walked inside, sitting down next to him patting his back. There, there boy. 
 It’s all right. It’s all right. There, there son. That’s a boy. That’s 
a boy. Let it out. Get it all out son,” Abel said.
 
Adam sobbed like he had never sobbed before. His Grandfather rubbed his 
back and stoked the hair on his head. Adam turned his face to the right, 
his eyes closed. His Grandfather kissed the top of his head, then covered 
him with a spare blanket. Abel sat in the chair Adam’s Father had sat in 
that terrible day when Elizabeth died, looking at his Grandson sleep. He 
remembered how he had looked in that tiny bed asleep just like that as a 
newborn.
 
The next morning Adam awoke to a sun filled room. He had been so tired he 
hadn’t moved all night. He was stiff from sleeping in one position. “About 
time you woke up boy. It’s almost ten O‘clock,” Abel said.
 
“It can’t be that late. I have a train to catch at noon,” Adam said jumping 
out of the bed and running down the stairs. When he got to the front door 
he turned around looking at his Grandfather, who was halfway down the 
stairs. “Thank you for letting me see your house and letting me sleep here 
last night,” he said.
 
“Wait lad. I’ll be just a minute,” Abel said going back upstairs. Adam 
wished he’d hurry, because he had to make that train. Abel walked down the 
stairs and handed Adam the picture he drew of him as a baby. “It’s yours to 
keep son,” he said. Adam took the picture from him. “Thank you. I have to 
go now. I have a train to catch. Good-bye,” he said walking out the door, 
closing it behind him. Abel stood at the door, tears in his eyes.
 
Abel decided to go see Elizabeth later that afternoon. It wasn’t Sunday but 
he wanted to tell her about her son. He walked up to her grave and stood 
before it. “Well Elizabeth what do you know but I saw your son yesterday. 
He’s a fine lad. Big and strong and very handsome. He reminds me of you in 
his looks he does. He sat in your favorite chair and ran his hand along the 
arms of it. Then he went upstairs and found the picture I had drawn of him. 
 It hurt to give that away but he needed it more then I did. I’ve had it 
for a long time. It was his turn to keep it now. He’s stubborn and 
opinionated just like you were young lady. He’s your son that’s for sure. 
He fell asleep on your deathbed and cried himself to sleep. I watched him 
all night long. I wish I hadn’t been so darned nasty to the lad. I have a 
hard time controlling this temper of mine you know. I can only wonder what 
he thinks of me now. He’s probably on his way home right now thinking he’s 
glad to be far away from me. I’m so alone,” Abel said as he cried into his 
hands.
 
A few moments later Abel felt a hand on his right shoulder. He turned and 
looked into the eyes of his Grandson. “I thought you were going,” he said.
 
I thought I was too, but I realized not long after I left your house that I 
left something too special behind that I had to come back for,” Adam 
replied.
 
“And just what might that be lad?” Abel asked.
 
“You Grandfather,” Adam replied.
 
“What? Me?” Abel asked.
 
“Yeah you. Come back to The Ponderosa with me. I want you to meet my 
brothers and see my Father again,” Adam replied.
 
“I can’t boy,” Abel said.
 
“Now why not?” Adam asked.
 
“I just can’t,” Abel said.
 
“That’s not he impression I got from what you just said to my Mother,” Adam 
said.
 
“You were listening to me?” Abel asked spiteful.
 
“Now don’t you go getting all bent out of shape. How was I not supposed to 
hear what you said when I was standing right behind you?” Adam asked.
 
“You could have let a body know you were there before he poured his heart 
out to his long dead daughter,” Abel replied. Adam rolled his eyes. “No 
wonder Grandmother left you. You are just impossible. I’ve had it,” Adam 
said walking away.
 
“You come back here you hard headed young man,” Abel said walking after 
him. “Don’t walk to dang blasted fast. I’m an old man you know. Want to 
have me keel over right here and now do you?” he asked. Adam stopped and 
turned to look at Abel. “Tell me your side of the story where Grandmother 
is concerned Grandfather and I’ll be out of your life forever,” Adam said.
 
“You promise?” Abel asked. Adam looked at him. “Yeah I promise,” he 
replied.
 
Abel led Adam to a bench and they both sat down. “I told Sarah she 
shouldn’t fall in love with me. I told her that it would only lead to 
troubles where her family was concerned. She said she didn’t care because 
she loved me. I told her that she didn’t care then but she would in time. 
I told her she would come to hate me and blame me for what she had lost with 
her family. I was right. I couldn’t stand to see her hurt that way anymore 
so I signed back up for sea duty. I hated coming home and hearing her cry. 
I couldn’t stand to hear her cry. I blamed myself when I came home and 
found she was missing, and more then likely had taken her life. I never 
heard a word from her in all these years. I don’t know why. Did she hate me 
so much?” Abel asked.
 
“No Grandfather. I think she hated who she had been and couldn’t live that 
life anymore. She had to run away from Sarah Stoddard because she was in 
turn Sarah Richards. She found though that no matter how far and how long 
she ran, she could not run away from herself. She did resent the fact you 
weren’t there for her. I understand how you must have felt but it’s too bad 
you just couldn’t have talked to her,” Adam said.
 
“Couldn’t have talked to her? All I ever did boy was talk. That’s my 
point. I talked but it didn’t help. Don’t you get it boy? She hated me 
and wanted to get away from me,” Abel said.
 
“The boy has a name, and it’s Adam. Remember that please,” Adam said 
walking away.
 
“Now why are you walking away this time? If you aren’t the most stubborn 
young man I’ve ever known,” Abel said following him.
 
Abel followed Adam to Hannah’s house. Adam walked through the front door 
and up to his room to get his baggage. “I’ve had it with him,” he said 
walking past Hannah.
 
“Abel Stoddard you old blowhard, what did you say to my nephew?” Hannah 
asked.
 
“Oh the boy has a chip on his shoulder like you wouldn’t believe. That 
sister of yours poisoned him against me is what happened,” Abel said 
pointing up the stairway.
 
“Abel Stoddard you old man you, you walk right up those stairs and you 
apologize to your Grandson before you lose him forever,” Hannah commanded.
 
“Me? He’s the one that should be apologizing to me. He’s just so danged 
opinionated like his mother,” Abel said.
 
“Abel Stoddard, you march right up there and you talk to that boy right now. 
 Don’t you do to him what you did to Sarah and not talk things out. Don’t 
you push him out of your life the way you did Sarah,” Hannah said with her 
hands on her hips.
 
“I pushed Sarah away?” he asked.
 
“You danged right you did and you know it,” Hannah replied.
 
“Don’t you cuss at me you, you, you woman you,” he said.
 
The fighting went on for at least twenty more minutes. Adam sat at the top 
of the stairs laughing.
 
“What are you laughing at?” Abel asked. Adam walked down the stairs to 
where his Grandfather stood. “You,” he replied.
 
“Me? Why you,” Abel stopped himself from saying.
 
“That did it. Abel Stoddard you come here, and Adam you come here,” Hannah 
said pulling them both by their arms. “Abel Stoddard hug your Grandson,” 
Hannah said.
 
“I will not,” he replied.
 
“Adam hug your Grandfather?” Hannah asked.
 
“I don’t think so,” Adam replied.
 
“Then Abel just get out of this house and Adam you follow him. I don’t want 
the likes of you in this house,” Hannah said pushing them out the door. “My 
baggage,” Adam said.
 
I’ll have my driver deliver it to his house,” Hannah said before slamming 
the door on them and locking it. “Now what?” Adam asked.
 
“We could go back to my house,” Abel suggested.
 
“Seems I don’t have any choice do I? Most of my money was in my baggage,” 
Adam replied.
 
That evening Adam sat in his Mother’s rocking chair by the fire. His 
Grandfather opposite him in the other chair. “When is her driver going to 
deliver my bag?” Adam asked.
 
“Boy was she ever mad at us. I’ve never seen that woman so mad,” Abel said 
smiling. Adam smiled as well. “Yeah was she ever. I can’t believe she 
told us to get out of her house and then slammed the door in our faces. 
They both began to laugh. “She’s got spunk that’s for sure,” Abel said.
 
“Well I guess I’ll go up to bed now I’m pretty tired,” Adam said walking 
towards the stairs. “Adam?” Abel asked. Adam turned. “Yeah?” he 
replied.
 
“Come here son,” Abel said. Adam walked up to him. Abel put his arms 
around Adam hugging him. Adam hugged him back. “You called me Adam,” Adam 
said.
 
“Why wouldn’t I? It’s your name isn’t it?” Abel replied smiling.
 
“Do you love me Grandfather?” Adam asked.
 
“Yes I love you boy,” Abel replied.
 
“Even though you are a salty old man, I love you too Grandfather,” Adam 
said.
 
Abel and Adam spent the rest of the night talking. Abel told Adam about he 
and Sarah and Elizabeth and Adam’s Father. Adam told Abel about his Father 
and his brothers, and their life on The Ponderosa.
 
TWO WEEKS LATER Adam walked through the cemetery to his Mother’s grave. He 
couldn’t leave without saying good-bye to her. “Good-bye Mother. 
Grandfather is sending out your rocking chair for my bedroom. I think he 
did it for two reasons. One is I felt so close to you in that chair. The 
other is it won’t go in the house he and Hannah are moving into since their 
marriage a few days ago. He’s also sending out my cradle. He thinks if he 
gives it to me that I’ll give him a great-grandchild. He says he wants 
several and the first boy to be named Abel. I don’t think so. My first son 
is going to be named Adam, and Adam Abel just doesn’t quite cut it. He 
turned out to be the great man I always thought him to be though. He was 
just lonely is all too long. It’s too bad that he and Sarah spent so many 
years lonely. It’s sad. And speaking of Sarah, I need to say good-bye to 
her as well. I love you Mother,” Adam said.
 
Adam walked to Sarah’s grave. “Good-bye Grandmother. I love you and I’m 
glad I got to know you. You will always be a special woman in my life,” he 
said then walked away.
 
TWO MONTHS LATER the rocking chair and the cradle arrived. Adam uncrated 
them. He ran his hands a long the back of the rocking chair. Ben knelt 
down at the tiny cradle. Looking up at his son with tears in his eyes he 
shook his head. “It’s hard to believe you were ever that small my little 
baby boy. You were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen in my life. You 
had lots of black hair and those violet blue eyes. You all right Pa? Adam 
asked. Ben stood. “Yeah it’s just seeing that cradle again made me re-live 
some memories,” Ben said.
 
“I understand Pa,” Adam said.
 
 
That evening, Adam walked upstairs to his bedroom. He closed his door and 
walked to his dresser. He opened the middle drawer up, and pulled out the 
framed picture of himself that his Grandfather had drawn of him as a baby. 
He smiled at it happy that he finally knew what he looked like as a baby. 
He put it back under the clothes in his drawer. He walked over to his 
Mother’s rocking chair and began to rock in it. He smiled because the 
pieces of his life had now come together. He picked up the book he had been 
reading off his nightstand and began to read.
 
THE END

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