Early morning. He looked at the house and he looked out toward the road and he was about to lower the hatch door again when he stopped. The vague gray light was in the west. They'd slept the night through and the day that followed. He lowered the door and secured it again and climbed back down and sat on the bunk. He looked around at the supplies. He'd been ready to die and now he wasn't going to and he had to think about that. [. . .] Finally he rose and went to the table and hooked up the little two burner gas stove and lit it and got out the frying pan and a kettle and opened the box of plastic kitchen implements. (216.1)

[The Boy:] Do you think we should thank the people?

[The Man:] The people?

[The Boy:] The people who gave us all this.

[The Man:] Well. Yes, I guess we could do that.

[The Boy:] Will you do it?

[The Man:] Why dont you?

[The Boy:] I dont know how.

[The Man:] Yes you do. You know how to say thank you.

The boy stared at his plate. He seemed lost. The man was about to speak when he said: Dear people, thank you for all this food and stuff. We know that you saved it for yourself and if you were here we wouldnt eat it no matter how hungry we were and we're sorry that you didnt get to eat it and we hope that you're safe in heaven with God.

He looked up. Is that okay? he said.

[The Man:] Yes. I think that's okay. (218.13-218.23)