Night Swimmers (10 page)

Retta rose up on one elbow to look at him, remembering his hopes for the Bowlwater plant as a kind of recreational facility, a natural Disney World where everything was real instead of plastic. He seemed almost pleased as he lay there with the covers pulled up to his chin. Maybe each of us, she thought, had been off into that strange time zone that changes a person while keeping the rest of the world the same.

“Well, I better go to bed,” she said. “It’s three o’clock in the morning.” She hugged Roy. “Good night.”

She turned over and hugged Johnny. Johnny stirred. He was drawn out of a dream in which he and Arthur, grown men, were sending rockets off to planets as yet unnamed. He squirmed with irritation and said, “Let go of me.”

“I have,” Retta said.

“Retta, you can hug me all you want to. I don’t care how many times you hug me,” Roy said.

“Thanks.”

She climbed off the foot of the bed and started for her room. In the hallway she bumped into her father, shorter than she now, without his cowboy boots. “Doesn’t anybody ever go to bed around here?” he asked.

“I’m going.”

She went into her room and got under the covers without bothering to take off her clothes. She sighed. She was as tired as if she’d been working in the fields.

She could hear Brendelle talking in the kitchen. “Here’s your sandwich.”

Shorty Anderson said, “You know, that’s not a bad line for a song.”

“What? ‘Here’s your sandwich’?”

“No, what you said earlier when you were hollering at me in the living room. I said, There’s a lot of fools in this world,’ and you said, ‘It don’t take but one.’”

Brendelle said, “Now, look. Aren’t you glad you changed? You already got egg yolk on your shirt. If that had been velour, well …”

Shorty said, “Hand me a napkin.” There was the sound of rustling as he tucked it into his shirt collar. “Now, listen to this, Brendelle.”

“I’m listening.”

He began to sing. “It don’t take but one fool and you got a fool in me. It don’t—”

“Shorty Anderson, didn’t anybody ever teach you to hold your hand under a fried egg sandwich while you’re eating?”

“I’m sorry, hon, hand me another napkin.”

“Here’s two.”

There was more rustling. Then Shorty said, “Wait a minute. Would this be better? Something like ‘You Got Sixteen Kinds of Fools in Me.’”

“That’s not bad.”

He began to sing again. “You got a fool who loves you and a fool who’ll let you go.” A pause. “You got a fool who needs you but who don’t want it to show. You got a fool who’ll be around through good times and through bad, and a fool who’ll—”

He broke off. “I’m going to get my guitar.”

“I’ll get it, hon,” Brendelle said.

And in the comfortable silence that followed, Retta fell asleep.

ă p
a
t / ā p
ay
/ â c
a
re / ä f
a
ther / ĕ p
e
t / ē b
e
/ ĭ p
i
t / ī p
ie
/ î f
ie
rce / ŏ p
o
t / ō g
o
/ ô p
aw
, f
or
/ oi
oi
l / ŏŏ b
oo
k / ōō b
oo
t / ou
ou
t / ŭ c
u
t / û f
u
r /
th
th
e / th
th
in / hw
wh
ich / zh vi
s
ion / ə
a
go, it
e
m, penc
i
l, at
o
m, circ
u
s

a•brupt
(ə
brŭpt′
) adj. Unexpected; sudden: I was surprised by the abrupt change in weather.—
a•brupt′ly
adv.

ac•cu•sa•tion
(ăk′ yōō
zā′
shən)
n.
A statement that a person has been guilty of wrongdoing.

as•pect
(
ăs′
pĕkt′)
n.
A part or element:
The judge carefully studied each aspect of the case.

awe
(ô)
v.
To fill with a feeling of wonder, fear, and respect caused by something mighty or majestic.

be•lat•ed
(bĭ
lā′
tĭd)
adj.
Too late:
Two months after my birthday, John sent me a belated gift.—
be•lat′ed•ly
adv.

be•nev•o•lent
(bə
nĕv′
ə lənt)
adj.
Desiring to do good; kindly.

bil•low•ing
(
bĭl′
ō ĭng)
adj.
1.
Rising or surging like the waves in the ocean.
2.
Swelling out or bulging.

bond
(bŏnd)
n.
1.
Something that ties or fastens together.
2.
A force that unites; a tie or link:
Our bond of friendship will never be broken.

chlo•rine
(
klôr′
ēn′)
or
(
-
ĭn)
or
(
klōr′
-)
n.
A chemical which is used in water to keep it clean.

clog
(klŏg)
n.
A heavy shoe with a wooden sole, sometimes used in a kind of dance characterized by heavy stamping.—
modifier:
clog step.

com•pan•ion•a•ble
(kəm
păn′
yə nə bəl)
adj.
Like a good friend; friendly.

con•cede
(kən
sēd′
)
v.
To admit as true, sometimes unwillingly:
Paul conceded that he might enjoy the trip.

con•de•scend
(kŏn′ dĭ
sĕnd′
)
v.
To agree to do something one thinks is beneath one’s dignity:
The movie star is condescending to act in the school play next month.

con•firm
(kən
fûrm′
)
v.
To support, prove, or agree that something is true or correct:
The sound of voices confirmed my suspicion that the room was not empty.

crit•i•cal
(
krĭt′
ĭ kəl)
adj.
Likely to find fault or judge severely.—
crit′i•cal•ly
adv.

dain•ty
(
dān′
tē)
adj.
1.
Light, graceful, and carefully precise.
2.
Very careful in choosing; fussy.

de•ject•ed
(dĭ
jĕk′
tĭd)
adj.
Feeling depressed and gloomy; unhappy.

dis•con•tent
(dĭs′ kən
tĕnt′
)
adj.
Restlessly unhappy; dissatisfied.

ear•nest
(
ûr′
nĭst)
adj.
Expressing deep, sincere feeling:
Lori’s parents gave in to her earnest request.—
ear′nest•ly
adv.

el•apse
(ĭ
lăps′
)
v.
To go by or pass:
Years elapsed before I heard from my friend again.

el•e•gant
(
ĕl′
ĭ gənt)
adj.
Refined or marked by good taste.

en•vi•sion
(ĕn
vĭzh′
ən)
v.
To imagine; picture in the mind:
He envisioned himself winning the award.

ex•ile
(
ĕg′
zīl′)
or
(
ĕk′
sīl′)
n.
1.
Removal by force from one’s native country.
2.
Forced removal from a group or activity.

fa•cil•i•ty
(fə
sĭl′
ĭ tē)
n.
1.
Ease in moving, acting, or doing something.
2.
Something that is built to provide some kind of service or convenience:
The swimming pool was a public facility used by all the townspeople.

fa•tigue
(fə
tēg′
)
n.
Exhaustion; the condition of being tired from hard work or strain.

fo•li•age
(
fō′
lē ĭj)
n.
The leaves of plants or trees.

green
(grēn)
adj.
Lacking training or experience:
The green newcomer made many mistakes.

in•stinc•tive
(ĭn
stĭngk′
tĭv)
adj.
Arising from an inner feeling or way of behaving that is automatic rather than something that has been learned:
We were amazed at the young animal’s instinctiveability to hunt.—
in•stinc′tive•ly
adv.

in•ten•si•ty
(ĭn
tĕn′
sĭ tē)
n.
The quality of being strong, deep and forceful; concentration:
The class studied with great intensity.

in•tent
(ĭn
tĕnt′
)
adj.
Showing concentration; fixed on a purpose; determined.

i•so•lat•ed
(
ī′
sə lā′ tĭd)
adj.
Set or kept apart from others.

lilt
(lĭlt)
n.
A pleasant, cheerful rhythmic motion, suggesting music.

loath•ing
(
lō′
th
ĭng)
n.
Extreme dislike.

lyr•ics
(
lĭr′
ĭks) n. The words of a song.

mim•ic
(
mĭm′
ĭk)
v.
mim•icked.
To copy or imitate closely:
The
c
omedian mimicked an ape.

of•fen•sive
(ə
fĕn′
sĭv)
adj.
Unpleasant to the senses; disgusting.

pan•to•mime
(
păn
tə mīm′)
v.
1.
To act without using speech.
2.
To use gestures and movements instead of words to express a meaning:
He won the game of charades because he pantomimed so well.

pa•pal
(
pā′
pəl)
adj.
Like the Pope; regal yet kindly.

pen•e•trate
(
pĕn′
ĭ trāt′)
v.
To go into or through; pierce:
Very little light could penetrate the dense forest.

per•sist
(pər
sĭst′
)
v.
To continue stubbornly to say or do something:
He persisted in saying that he was innocent.

plea
(plē)
n.
An urgent request or appeal.

pol•i•cy
(
pŏl′
ĭ sē)
n.
A general plan or course of action followed by someone:
The teacher’s policy was to fail anyone caught cheating.

rec•re•a•tion•al
(rĕk′ rē
ā′
shən əl)
adj.
Of or having to do with activities, such as sports or games, that relax or refresh one’s body or mind.

reel
(rēl)
v.
To stagger; go around in a whirling motion.

re•gard
(rĭ
gärd′
)
v.
To look at.

shim•mer•ing
(
shĭm′
ə rĭng)
adj.
Shining with flickering light; glimmering.

sol•emn
(
sŏl′
əm)
adj.
Very serious; grave:
The officer took a solemn oath to uphold the law.

stride
(strīd)
v.
To walk with long steps.

strode
(strōd) Past tense of the verb
stride.

su•preme
(sə
prēm′
)
adj.
Greatest; highest in quality or achievement.

taunt
(tônt) v. To insult; mock:
The referee did not respond when the crowd taunted him.

top•ple
(
tŏp′
əl)
v.
To push over; overturn.

un•daunt•ed
(ŭn
dôn′
tĭd)
adj.
Not discouraged; fearless.

un•wit•ting
(ŭn
wĭt′
ĭng)
adj.
1.
Not intended.
2.
Not knowing; unaware:
The unwitting boy didn’t realize that he had been tricked.

un•yield•ing
(ŭn
yēl′
dĭng)
adj.
Firm; not giving in:
We could not force the unyielding donkey up the hill.

vain
(vān)
adj.
Without success; of no use:
She tried in vain to keep the water from spilling.—
idiom:
in
v
ain.

ve•lour
(və
lŏŏr′
)
n.
A soft, smooth, velvetlike fabric used for clothing, curtains, and furniture.
—
modifier:
a velour cushion.

vi•tal
(
vīt′
l)
adj.
1.
Essential to life.
2.
Having great importance:
It was vital that they reach town by sundown.

vul•ner•a•ble
(
vŭl′
nər ə bəl)
adj.
Capable of being harmed; open to danger; unprotected.

whisk
(hwĭsk)
or
(wĭsk)
v.
1.
To brush or sweep with quick, light movements.
2.
To move or carry very quickly:
The parents whisked the naughty child out the door.

yoke
(yōk)
n.
1.
A crossbar that fits around the necks of oxen or other animals.
2.
Part of a garment that fits closely around the neck and shoulders.

Copyright © 1986 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Definitions and pronunciation key adapted and reprinted by permission from
The American Heritage Student’s Dictionary.

Betsy Byars (b. 1928) is an award-winning author of more than sixty books for children and young adults, including
The Summer of the Swans
(1970), which earned the prestigious Newbery Medal. Byars also received the National Book Award for
The Night Swimmers
(1980) and an Edgar Award for
Wanted . . . Mud Blossom
(1991), among many other accolades. Her books have been translated into nineteen languages and she has fans all over the world.

Byars was born Betsy Cromer in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her father, George, was a manager at a cotton mill and her mother, Nan, was a homemaker. As a child, Betsy showed no strong interest in writing but had a deep love of animals and sense of adventure. She and her friends ran a backyard zoo that starred “trained cicadas,” box turtles, leeches, and other animals they found in nearby woods. She also claims to have ridden the world’s first skateboard, after neighborhood kids took the wheels off a roller skate and nailed them to a plank of wood.

After high school, Byars began studying mathematics at Furman University, but she soon switched to English and transferred to Queens College in Charlotte, where she began writing. She also met Edward Ford Byars, an engineering graduate student from Clemson University, whom she would marry after she graduated in 1950.