“Build things. Gotta pick up big pieces of wood, materials. I work out every day too. You go crazy if you don’t.”

I wanted to cry, thinking about my brother trying not to go crazy. But I remembered how sad he must already be in there and didn’t want to be the cause of more sadness. Mama Pearl jumped in, and asked, “How you keeping yourself encouraged in here?”

He paused for a minute. Then he dropped his head. When he looked up, he had that little smile again. “Be reading a lot. Read the Bible. Read some other books. Quotes.”

When he said the word quotes, I remembered the one that he mentioned in his letter.

“Say the one by that pastor that Uncle Tim told you about.”

He paused for a second, collecting himself like someone who’d just stepped up to a podium, then started. “The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned. It enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.”

I cheesed at him, proud of my brother.

“I say it every morning to remind myself that I still got a future. Even on the days when it don’t seem like I do.” We looked at each other for a second, having a silent moment of affection.

Mama Pearl cut in and said, “That’s real good, baby.” She asked, “Who said them words?”

“Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Uncle Tim say Bonhoeffer wrote it when he was in jail.” I was shocked about this, that someone in jail could still inspire other people. I’d find out later that many important things were written while people were locked up.

For now, I asked him, “You know anybody in here from the buildings?”

“Lot of people. Roady in here with me.” Then Meechie asked, “How school?”

“Good. Ms. Pierce say I should apply to a college prep high school.”

“You should. You smart.”

“Mama don’t know I’m here. I wish you could see her too.”

“She come see me,” he said. Right away, he wished he could take it back. He saw that I was so mad that she’d come to visit him and wouldn’t let me.

“Fee, she think she doing what’s best for you.”

“Like she knew what was best for you?”

Mama Pearl reached over for her cane and started getting up. “Baby, we see you again in a few weeks, okay?” She had a sweet smile on her face, but I wanted to hit something.

Meechie said, “Fee?”

“What?”

“I know you supposed to be in church.” I couldn’t hold my frown. We both started laughing. “You should wear that to school on Monday,” he said, getting up.