CELIA IS BACK by Amy Hempel, from the book Reasons to Live L !k isn"t l !

!k,# the father tol$ his ki$s% L !k is &here preparation meets opport nity%# 'he boy ba!ke$ p his father"s statement% 'hat"s &hat the big &inners say,# he a(ree$% 'he boy an$ his sister &ere enterin( !ontests% 'he kit!hen table &as littere$ &ith forms an$ the entry blanks off !ereal bo)es% 'he boy hel$ a pi!t re of a bl e Rolls* Roy!e, the (ran$ pri+e in a s&eepstakes he &as too yo n( to enter% ,o yo think it has to be bl e-# he aske$% ,o yo think I !an (et it in a $ifferent !olor-# .o !an"t $rive,# the (irl sai$% So it"s a m te point%# She tore a sheet of paper from a le(al pa$ an$ $re& p an affi$avit% It promise$ her the Rolls &hen her father &on it in the s&eepstakes ne)t fall% She pen!ile$ in a line on the paper for his si(nat re, an$ a line belo& that, an$ title$ the se!on$ one Witnessed By% 'he father ha$ time before his &eekly appointment, so he po re$ himself !offee an$ fille$ in some of the blanks% In spite of &hat he sai$, the father kne& he ha$ l !k% In the time that he ha$ been home, he ha$ &on t&o pri+es% He ha$ &on a &eek for t&o in Ha&aii, airfare in!l $e$, an$ a ri$e in a hot*air balloon% S&eepstakes &ere easy, the father e)plaine$% 'here &as nothin( to ( ess, no /in(le to !ompose, no skill re0 ire$ at all% .o &rote yo r name an$ a$$ress, then yo soake$ the paper in &ater so that it $rie$ stiff an$ !ra!kly, an$ &as therefore easy for the / $(e to (et a (rip on in the bin% .o !o l$ enter a s&eepstakes as often as yo like$ yo !o l$ floo$ it if the pri+e or the &innin( &as &orth the bother% 'he father hel$ his han$ p like an In$ian sayin( Ho&% Remember the 'hree 1"s,# he tol$ his ki$s% 1atien!e, 1erseveren!e, an$ 1osta(e% 'he people &ho &in these thin(s kno& the 'hree 1"s%# Contests &ere $ifferent than s&eepstakes, he sai$% .o nee$e$ talent to &in a !onstest, or at least yo nee$e$ the kna!k% S*2*S,# the father informe$% 3hat yo &ant to remember is4 Be Simple, be 2ri(inal, be Sin!ere% 'hat"s the &innin( system%# 3hen the s&eepstakes entries &ere !omplete$ an$ stampe$, the ki$s $etaine$ their father for the 5ell*2 p $$in( !ontest% 'hey sai$, Daddy &ill help s ,a$$y always &ins6# All ri(ht,# the father sai$% B t $on"t make me late for my appointment%# .o ha$ to tell the / $(es &hy yo like$ 5ell*2 p $$in(% .o ha$ to !omplete the senten!e, I like 5ell*2 p $$in( be!a se *******%# 7irst, the father looke$ at &hat his ki$s ha$ &ritten $o&n% It"s sin!ere,# he sai$% B t &hat abo t ori(inal-# He sai$ that the first thin( that poppe$ into their hea$s &o l$ have poppe$ into the hea$s of other people, too% 'he father sai$, 'hink% 3hat is the thin( abo t 5ell*2 p $$in(- 3hat is really the thin(- He pa se$ for so lon( that the ki$s looke$ at ea!h other% 3hat-# the (irl sai$%

'he father !lose$ his eyes, an$ leane$ ba!k in his !hair% He sai$, I like 5ell*2 p $$in( be!a se I like a (oo$ hearty meal after a brisk &alk on a &inter"s $ay somethin( to really &arm me p%# 'he boy (i((le$ an$ the (irl (i((le$% 'he father looke$ !onf se$% 'his is the 5ell*2 p $$in( !ontest, isn"t that &hat yo sai$-# he sai$% 3ell, okay then,# he sai$% I like 5ell*2 p $$in( be!a se it has a to (h satin finish that resist !hippin( an$ peelin(% 8o, no,# he sai$, I mean, I like 5ell*2 p $$in( be!a se it has a fr itier taste% Be!a se it"s (ar$en fresh,# he sai$% Be!a se it (oes on $ry to prote!t me from &etness lon(er% 2h, 5ell*2 p $$in(,# the father sai$% I like it be!a se it"s more absorbent that those other bran$s% 3on"t !hafe or ri$e p%# He opene$ his eyes an$ sa& his son leave the room% 'he so n$ that ha$ ma$e the father open his eyes &as the pen that the boy ha$ thro&n to the floor% .o may alrea$y be a &inner,# the father sai$% He !lose$ his eyes a(ain% .o kno&,# he !ontin e$, most p $$in( makes me e$(y% B t not Jell-O p $$in(% 'hat"s be!a se it has no !affeine% 'astes ri(ht an$ is b ilt to stay that &ay% .es, I like 5ell*2 p $$in( be!a se it"s the one thin( to take &hen yo really &ant to b ffi!ate a hea$a!he% 2r &hen yo nee$ to mirtili+e a ba$ breath, nless yo &ant yo r ba$ breath to mirtili+e yo %# 'his time the so n$ that bro (ht him aro n$ &as the so n$ of his !ar keys s&in(in( on their !hain% His $a (hter hel$ the keys% She sai$, ,a$$y, !ome on% .o "ll be late%# 'hat"s &hat I tol$ yo , $i$n"t I-# the father sai$% 9 sai$, :,on"t make me late for my appointment%"# He follo&e$ his $a (hter o t to the !ar% ,i$ I tell yo the thin( abo t 5ell*2-# he sai$% His motor skills &ere not impaire$% He $rove slo&ly, !aref lly, the (irl on the seat besi$e him% He t rne$ off the free&ay onto a &i$e !ommer!ial $rive of fran!hise$ foo$ an$ failin( b siness% 'he pla!e he &as (oin( to &as blo!ks a&ay% A re$ li(ht stoppe$ him opposite the Ho se of ;arlene% 'here &as a han$&ritten si(n in a (rimy &in$o&% 'he si(n sai$, Celia, formerly of Mr. Edward, has rejoined o r staff. 'he father"s han$ rela)e$ on the &heel% Celia, he tho (ht% Celia has !ome ba!k to make everythin( okay% 'he &on$ro s Celia brin(s her po&ers to bear% 'he traffi! li(ht t rne$ (reen% Is she really ba!k- he &on$ere$% Is Celia ba!k to stay'hro (h the horns (oin( off behin$ him, thro (h the fists of his $a (hter besi$e him, the father staye$ stoppe$% Everythin( &ill be fine, he tho (ht, no& that Celia"s here%