(spoken words) Billy is a grown man now. We return to Billy shortly. But first I must tell another story. It happns in South Carolina, near the coast. It is about old Sam, and Molly. (music) Did you know Molly? It was new summer’s day, bright and fresh that morning, and she was in the garden with her favorite flowers budding. How she loved her roses, almost as much as I loved her. Now this longest day returns, and she is gone. The sunset brings shadows to untended blooms. Bluebirds pause and float from post to ground. Everybody knew Molly! And they loved her too. She was a woman in full, if I may say that. She would look you in the eye and you were in that moment everything to her. Her daddy once said of her, “Lord, Molly, you can charm the lard out of a biscuit.” She charmed me every day. And on this endless day, she is gone. Itching is between the hurt and its healing, and I am itching all over. The loss of her surrounds me. I am covered by memories of her silver hair on my shoulder. On this day she would have loved, she is gone.
