“He is doing wonderfully, sir,” I would say, wiping down the edge of the mahogany counter.

“He passed his spelling test with flying colors.”

“That is marvelous news.” He would lean back in his armchair, and a real smile would come over his face, the smile of a man who was pleased for a child he had never met.

“Make sure you take some fresh apples from the orchard home for him today.

Growing boys need apples.”

It was a small thing, the apples.