Chapter 8 Summary

Tom tells Dr. Lowenstein more about his grandmother Tolitha, who seems to be the most caring person in the children's lives. Tom says he suspects she returns to his Grandpa Wingo more to stand between the children and her son than for any other reason. Yet, Tolitha also has a character flaw. Her religion is superstition, going to gypsies, astrologers, psychics and witch doctors to plan out her every move. One gypsy tells her that she will die shortly after her sixtieth birthday, so she takes the children to the local mortician to purchase a "pine box" for her funeral. Grandpa Wingo will not accept Tolitha's desire to be laid out naked on Stone Mountain to let the vultures devour her body. Luke is especially awed and at the same time repulsed by this idea.

Winthrop Ogletree, the mortician, talks her into a...