5
The Welcoming Dinner
“Ebenezer, time to wake up for dinner,” said Grace. “We are invited for dinner with Jeremy and Annabelle.” “Do we have to go? We could just catch a bite here at home,” he grumbled. “I hope you are not serious. This is a welcoming dinner. I visited with Annette this afternoon and she is looking forward to having us. You haven’t had a chance to even say hello to Jeremy. They are so gracious and happy to have us here in their guest house. Ebenezer, please keep composed and be polite. No recriminations over things in the past. You should congratulate Jeremy on his service as a marine in the war, and mention how proud we were to hear of his medals for valor.” “Am I supposed to lie and exaggerate?” “No, just be polite and truthful. He is a successful rancher just like you.” “Like I once was - all in the past. Now I’m just a feeble, has-been crazy old man.” “Ebenezer Sackett, that is not true. You are
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They all knew it was time for the dinner conversation to be concluded. “Okay, everyone,” announced Annette. “Time for everyone to follow me into the front room and help me finish decorating the Christmas tree. Even Ebenezer knew he had overshot his negative exchanges, so he assumed a look of humility and walked with the others into the front room where a Colorado spruce stood ready to be transformed into a symbol of Christmas cheer. Ebenezer was at first inclined to be surprised at the beauty of the scene, and amazed that the family should attach such importance to a tree, of which thousands more stood on the hills around, but feeling there may be some hidden purpose he failed to understand, he set himself to consider what it was likely to be. He had an expectation that the conduct of his future self would give him a clue he had missed, and perhaps give the solution of these mysteries. He stood silently in