I took four light bulbs out of the cardboard carton on the floor and put them into his hand one at a time.

He screwed each bulb into its socket, wiped his greasy fingers on the leg of his work pants, and stepped down onto the pine floorboards.

“Go down to the cellar and throw the main switch,” he said.

I picked up the heavy flashlight, went down the narrow wooden basement steps, and pushed the wide iron lever on the new breaker box up until the copper contacts clicked tight.

Above my head, the whole floor of the house filled with bright, clear light.