Dad had stood up straight from the strawberry patch, wiped his dirty hands on his worn denim overalls, and walked over to the wooden fence line.

“Good morning,” Dad called up to him cheerfully.

Chad looked down at him cold.

“Good morning.”

“I am Bernard Callahan,” Dad introduced himself.

“I have been meaning to walk over and welcome you to the neighborhood properly.”

“Chad Miller,” the man replied crisply.

Dad held up a small green cardboard basket overflowing with bright red strawberries that were still warm from the morning sun.