Chapter 5: Twin Boys

At 3:00, Erika and the boys clattered into the kitchen. Dale was seated at the metal kitchen table, trying to look unimposing. “Hello, Dad,” said Allen, as both boys hauled their backpacks off to their bedroom. “Mr. Jordan,” said Erika, coldly. “Since you’re back today, I’ll be leaving now, until tomorrow. Goodbye.”

Erika turned and left through the same kitchen door, in almost the same minute that she had arrived.

The boys returned to the kitchen, pushed their stool up to the kitchen sink, and one after another washed their hands. Then they poured two cups of juice, tore off two paper towel sheets, and sat at the table. This was all routine for them.

Rosemary came into the room and also sat at the kitchen table.

“So, Allen and Dale, I’m back now. I won’t be gone anymore,” said Dale.

Allen said, “Good, then Mom won’t be so upset.”

Dale (Jr.) said, “David.”

“What?”

“I’m changing my name.”

Dale (Sr.) looked questioningly at his wife, who shrugged her shoulders, indicating this was all news to her.

“I don’t understand,” said Dale (Sr.).

“I don’t want to be ‘Dale’ anymore. Now I’m David.” The boy gave his father a defiant look.

With another glance at his wife, he decided this was not something he wanted to fight about. Sadly, he simply said, “All right, David.”

The boy had been winding himself up for a confrontation. When his new name was accepted, he slumped back in his chair, relieved. Although the boys were twins, they were not identical, but fraternal. Allen had brown curly hair, while David’s hair was a light sandy blonde, fine and straight. Likely, in a few years the blonde would fade to a more regular brown color.

Rosemary asked, “Did you have a homework assignment?”

Allen said, “Yes, we have a story handout you have to read to us, and then we have to each draw a picture showing what happened in the story.”

She said, “OK, Allen, I want you to get the drawing pads and the colored pencils. David, go bring the handout we need to read.”

Secretly pleased that his mother had remembered to use his new name, David rushed off to get the book. Allen asked his mother, “Are you just going to let him change his name like that?”

“Allen, sweetie, I want to see if your brother is really serious about the change. If he is, we can go to the school later and change his paperwork. Your Dad knows that he hurt both of you and so he wants to be not fighting about it. He feels very badly about what he did and he hopes you and your brother will forgive him.”

“He was being really mean to you Mom. Do you forgive him?”

“Yes, Allen, I have. I love your dad, even when he makes me mad or sad. Now, you better go get those art supplies.”

David was just out of sight around the corner, but not out of hearing. He was picking up on the conversation with Allen, although he wasn’t sure what he thought about his father yet.

When the boys each had a pad of white paper and a set of pencils, David passed the story book to his mother.

“No, I have to do the laundry. Your father will read it to you.” She stood and left the kitchen.

Dale began reading the story to his boys. He recognized it as one of Aesop’s Fables: The Lion and the Mouse.

A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion’s nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.

“Spare me!” begged the poor Mouse. “Please let me go and someday I will surely repay you.”

The Lion was much amused to think that a tiny Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go.

Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the ropes of a hunter’s net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse recognized the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.

“You laughed when I said I would repay you,” said the Mouse. “Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion.”

The meaning of this story: A kindness is never wasted.

To help them draw, the story came illustrated with a simple line drawing of a lion and a mouse. The boys were now both drawing away.