【Theendofmysophomoreyearwasapproaching．MomcalledmeatthedormoneeveningduringthelastweekofMay．Mysummerbreakwouldbespentwithgrandmaandgrandpa，helpingoutaroundtheirfarm．Thearrangementmadegoodsensetoallthefa】

　　Theendofmysophomoreyearwasapproaching．MomcalledmeatthedormoneeveningduringthelastweekofMay．Mysummerbreakwouldbespentwithgrandmaandgrandpa，helpingoutaroundtheirfarm．Thearrangementmadegoodsensetoallthefamily．Iwasn'tfullyconvincedofthatmyselfbutguesseditwasjustonesummer．Nextyearwouldbemylittlebrother'sturn．

　　Iarrivedlatethatafternoon．Grandmahadfixedmorefoodthanthethreeofuscouldpossiblyeat．Shelovedmeentirelytoomuch．Thenextmorning，Grandpafixedbreakfastforthetwoofus．HetoldmeGrandmahadtiredherselfoutyesterdayandwasgoingtorestinbedalittlelonger．ImadeamentalnotetomyselftonotaskhertodothingsformewhileIwasthere．Iwastheretohelp，notbeaburden．

　　Weekspassed．IgraduallysettledintoaroutineofdailyworkwithGrandpa．IntheeveningsIusuallyreadortalkedwithGrandma．ShenevergrewtiredofhearingaboutcollegeoranythingIwasinvolvedin．Shetoldmestoriesaboutherchildhood，familyandtheearlyyearsaftersheandGrandpahadmarried．

　　ThelastSaturdayinJune，Grandpasuggestedgoingfishing．Wehadn'texpectedwhatwesawwhenwegottothepondthatmorning：Oneoftheswanswasdead．GrandpahadgiventhepairofswanstoGrandmaontheir50thanniversary．"Whydon'tweseeaboutbuyinganotherone，"Isuggested，hopingthesituationcouldsomehowberighted．Grandpathoughtforafewmomentsbeforeanswering．

　　Hefinallysaid，"no…it'snotthateasy，Bruce．Yousee，swansmateforlife．"Heraisedhisfingertopoint，holdingthefishingpoleinhisotherhand．"There'snothingwecandofortheonethat'sleft．Hehastoworkitoutforhimself．"

　　Afewdayslater，wedrovebythepondwhiledoingourmorningcheckonthecows．Wefoundtheotherswanlyingnearthesamespotwehadfoundthefirstone．It，too，wasdead．

　　ThemonthofJulystartedwithmeandGrandpaputtingupanewstretchoffence．ThenJuly12came．ThatwasthedayGrandmapassedaway．Grandmahaddiedsuddenlythatmorningofastroke．Bytheafternoon，myparentswerethere．TheoldhousewassooncrowdedwithrelativesandGrandpa'sfriends．

　　Thefuneralwasheldthenextday．Grandpahadinsistedonhavingitassoonaspossible．Ontheseconddayafterthefuner