Free Dear Sylvia by Alan Cumyn Page A

flowers from the front hallway and gave them to her and they kissed right in front of everybody and he said he had found us a house in Elgin right close to Mom’s hotel.
    He meant the 1/2 a house.
    That’s how it happened.
    Owen

    Dear Sylvia,
    We looked at the old house today which is just a big hole in the ground with a lot of broken mud on it and the apple tree looking all alone and pretty small. You could run around the spot in just a few seconds and it sure didn’t look big as a house any more.
    It was hard to imagine we all used to fit in there.
    Leonard said he was going to miss the bull’s field and the woods and the river and the haunted house and all the other places.
    And we all started feeling bad and Mom was crying. Andy said why don’t we build another house just like our old one and we could have our bedroom up in the attic again and listen to the rain on the roof and Dad could have his office back and write another book.
    But I said — I want to see the house in Elgin.
    Mom said — we were lucky this place didn’t fall on us years ago.
    And Dad said — you’ll like the new place.
    So we got in the car and went to see it. It doesn’t have any old garage or apple tree and it’s right on Raven Street with stores along it. The front porch is all closed in which is where Sylvester stays. He can’t just go running free like before.
    Andy has his own room! So Leonard and I will share but not the same bed any more.
    When we were walking around the new house I kept thinking Sylvia lives in Elgin. I think probably if I took my bike I could find your house.
    Do you know how it is when your body feels thin as papay mashay paper and glue with a little candle burning inside and how trembly everything is when even your breathing is giggly?
    I kept thinking I might see you just in the next room or the next.
    Owen
    Dear Sylvia,
    Dad has a new job!
    He is going to fix everything at Mom’s hotel even before it might be broken. So now they are going to walk together to the hotel in the morning and then back home for lunch every day and then back to the hotel and then back home. Every day!
    The new house has strange sounds that come out at night. Mr. Colsen who lives upstairs plays his tuba to his cat after midnight with the TV on and the cat doesn’t like it. And something drips in the walls like maybe it’s Giant Foam getting ready to gurgle out of the light switch. And the blinking red light from Tipcott’s Vaccuoom vacuum cleaner parts and service leaks through the curtain just when you just want it to be dark and still.
    And it smells like fried chicken from the restaurant on the other side.
    That’s why I can’t sleep.
    I am worried too because tomorrow I am going to Elgin Public School and what is going to happen when I walk in the classroom and you look up from your desk?
    I don’t know why I am afraid but I am. Because I haven’t seen you since Scottish dancing. And probably I am going to think about too many stupid things like how you looked at me when I couldn’t do the Paw Debask or even walk right when I was holding your hand.
    Owen
    Dear Sylvia,
    Where are you?
    I walked into Mrs. Kingswell’s class at the Elgin Public School and looked around and looked around and looked.
    Owen
    Dear Sylvia,
    I didn’t see you but in the playground I did see Danny Bainman. When he saw me I could tell he had no idea it was me at all and he did not say anything. So that is the kind of boy Danny Bainman is but maybe you know that already.
    But maybe you don’t know that either because where are you anyway?
    Owen
    Dear Sylvia,
    Mrs. Kingswell is making me copy out all my spelling mistakes 50 times each!
    So I am copying and copying forever. We have dictionaries in the class but they are way over on the shelf and you are not allowed to get up.
    We had dinner last night back at Uncle Lorne and Ant Lorraine’s