Hanging pictures on the walls of barns and farmland. A windmill hangs over the television set. Framed black and whites of grandmother and grandfather on a mantel. Books on the coffee table.

He sits on the couch, tossing a baseball into a mitt. The kid wears a Cleveland Indians cap turned backward on his head. Mom’s in the kitchen fixing dinner.

Is dad ever coming back? he asks. Where did he go to?

He went away for a while. A hospital to try and quit smoking, she tells him. He’ll be gone for some time. But, he’ll come back a new man, she smiles.

Tommy down the street said he went to jail for beating up a man. Said he  nearly killed him. Told me it was over a woman. Is that true?

No. Dad’s in the hospital. 

Can we go see him?

They don’t allow visitors.

Was he cheating on you?

Your father never cheated.

Are you lying to me?

She shook her head and placed hot dogs on their plates.

We sure do eat a lot of hot dogs. The kid squeezed mustard on his dog, then spooned relish.

Mom slapped him on the cheek.  Never complain when you have food, she said. It’s ungrateful.  There are people starving in this world.

The boy began crying and ran down the hallway to his room, slamming the door.

Mom stayed at the table and finished her meal in silence.