978-1572305441

A Sophie Mind Apart
Chapter 12
Sophie
Acceptance without Resignation
Down the main street of a small village, a little girl and her
mother go to the library. They make this brief excursion every day because
the child so loves to look at books. It’s a fine autumn morning,
and the sun shines brightly as the two walk down a street shaded by oak
and maple trees. Soon it will be Halloween, and already the houses are
decorated with pumpkins and witches on broomsticks. The maple trees
are in full color—red, yellow, and orange leaves filter the sunlight. An
elderly gentleman rakes the fallen leaves on his lawn into tidy piles, but
the slight breeze is a constant challenge, teasing his efforts and delaying
the opportunity to go back into the house and make another pot of coffee.
As the couple passes by, the man says, “Good morning,” tips his hat,
and smiles at the child. The mother politely, if somewhat awkwardly, returns
his greeting, but the child looks away and doesn’t acknowledge
him.
The mother has a few volumes to be returned tucked under her
arm. She wears a light sweater to guard against the wind and a lovely
print dress. She has very fair skin and dark hair. The mother looks anxiously
down at her child, who walks as if determined not to waste any
time. The little girl must be about five; she has an olive complexion,
wears glasses, and has soft curly brown hair. She is dressed all in red,
her favorite color. In one hand she holds several bird feathers and in the
other an enormous tree branch that she drags along the ground. People
passing by have to step out of the way to avoid being hit by one of the
174