ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 317: Maybe a Visit I check the Greyhound bus schedule. I can leave here on a 9:40 a.m. bus and get to my sister Tish’s house in Virginia 25 hours later. I can do this, I tell myself. I can travel that long. A round-trip ticket costs several hundred dollars. I can still do this. David was Tish’s mate, and this is her sorrow. Her sorrow is not my sorrow. She will think her own thoughts, feel her own feelings. But perhaps I can help her. I would like to try.

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 316: A Wealth of Years I leave a message for Josh, asking him to call me. He’s in Lexington visiting Jodi, who has four days off. His return call comes in late. “We just finished a game of Monopoly. Now we’re going to play Clue. Jodi has…

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 315: David, Dead I’m at the library’s computer for a writing session but before beginning it, I check my e-mail. I rarely have any. But this morning I do. The message is from my sister Tish, and it’s addressed to all her brothers and sisters. “I have…

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 314: Tame the Wild Horse Before heading out this morning, I look in my full-length mirror. Would Ernie recognize me? My hair is shorter. I’m wearing clothes he never saw — including this rust-colored turtleneck. I’ve bought four turtlenecks lately, in periwinkle, white, rust, and olive green…

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 313: The Spiritual Side of Life After Ernie died, one person wrote me a letter to ask: “Are you spiritual? Do you have a spiritual life?” I didn’t know how to answer him. I didn’t know what his question meant. …

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 312: Reality. Truth. Discovery. It’s the first of December. Soon it will be the seventh of December — the day, two years ago, Ernie died. It’s the day I’ve decided to end this book, to write its final words. Ernie told me once, in anger and disgust…

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 311: The River of Enlightenment and Growth It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and I’m at the farm market. Farmers far outnumber their customers so the farmers have time to talk. After I buy eggs from one of the vendors, she asks about my Thanksgiving. “I spent time…

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 310: The Honesty Habit On her way to the family’s Thanksgiving celebration, my sister Jude leaves me a message. “Happy Thanksgiving. I hope we see you at John’s. If not, I have a few small gifts I’d like to bring you.” I don’t take her call because…

ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching Book Two, Chapter 309: Joshua’s Monologue It’s Thanksgiving afternoon. I call Joshua. He talks. It’s almost a monologue. First, he talks of Christy. “She needs anger-management classes. Her parents are messed up and really messed her up. She gets in fights with everyone. We had a monster fight only two…