Chapter 6-10

Nels Gudmundsson is very observant. I noticed this in the way he questioned Horace. Most older people develop this inquisitive and observant set of skills as they age. My grandmother, a former lawyer, and my dad, her son, are excellent examples of this. People like this make excellent lawyers and detectives. Honestly, I don't think I could ever be cut out for that job. My observance comes and goes like the wind on a fall afternoon, and frankly, a job like that doesn't interest me in the least.
Art had the job of telling Susan Marie of Carl's death. How hard that would be; to tell, not even a stranger, but yet, someone whom you interacted with, that their beloved husband was dead. Most people would wimp out, I probably would too or I would fill her head with lovely euphemisms; my heart is a smidgen too tender, and I'd probably cry on the spot. The grief that woman must have had, or any woman who has had to go through that.
Another type of grief is what Kabuo's wife had. She was missing her husband and wanted just to touch him; the prison walls much too constricting. I don't know how she managed for 77 days; I would've gone insane. she was strong though, her years of training and growing up from a little girl to a married woman, had prepared her. Despite her timidness I found her to be strong liek my mom whom if you didn't know her, would think her to be just another woman. Along with this story I found a little drama. I read about Hatsue and Ishmael's affair as young kids; the 'wrongness' of their love and I wondered: would I be able to do the same? Cheesy as it may sound, 'forbidden love' would be a hard this to carry out. I just don't know if I would be strong enough to go through with it.
Etta, a woman so stubborn she'd drive me crazy was the mother of Carl. She reminded me, as I read of her, of my Oma or even my dad. They both have that anal type of stubbornness where if something is not done their way they get furious and frustrated.
When Ole tells about the sale of the farm I recognized and experienced the indifference Carl and Kabuo had towards each other. This indifference gave me a insight on how these men and girls from my school are the same. They don't really go out and fight but they definitely know who hates who.