Summary

The boy's grandfather's health worsens. First his memory starts "going and then his body" (189). The grandmother does not want to have him tested. The grandfather forgets to do his exercises. The grandmother calls her husband's condition "Second childhood" (190).

Sometimes the father takes Luke "on these visits" (190). He stops bringing Luke "as leverage," promising that he can visit if the grandmother lets the father put the grandfather in a home (190).

The grandfather forgets who the father is. He talks to him as if they are strangers. The father "plays the part" (191). Once he is in the home, the grandfather talks to Luke like he is his son. Luke enjoys the visits.

When the father has to put the boy's hamster down, he tries to explain what happened. The boy has trouble understanding. Before putting the hamster down, the father “thanked the hamster ‘for being...