His Final Mother  by May 21, 1990   Crawford Langley is twelve
but growing up fast. He makes everyone stop calling him by his
nickname, Ford, except his father. His mother dies suddenly, and
somehow, he feels stronger, not sad. Instead of praying, he
turns to Robinson Crusoe. He knows it is harder on his father.
That night they go for a walk, and out in the woods, Crawford
has to try to comfort his splintering father who scares him and
who has lost all faith. He seems as if he could do some violence
to Crawford. The father returns home and C. follows later.
Creeping through the dark house, he envisions his father as a
killer. He gets to bed, and going over in his mind how he might
have been responsible for the death or how he might have
offended his father, he dozes. He wakes (dreams it) and sees a
light from the hall. It comes from his father's room. Inside he
sees that his father's prayers have conjured up a bright image
of his mother, but young, as when he first met her. Crawford
decides that it is in his