Hank laughed. “No.”
“How come?”
Hank shrugged that one off.
“Then what happens when you die?”
Hank gave him a long look. “I expect I’ll be buried, turn to dust, then I’d like to think maybe a big wind’ll come by someday and blow me somewhere real special.”
“What about heaven?”
Hank looked at the kid, then touched his temple. “In here”—and he touched his chest—“and in here. That’s what goes to heaven, kid. You understand?”
Theodore nodded.
“Here’s another question for you, like the riddles.” Hank picked up a shell and tossed it into the ocean. “That shell was an oyster, which used to be a sea creature, then it died, and now it’s a seashell. The water and sand will break it up, and eventually, after a long, long time, what will happen?”
Theodore’s face brightened. “It’ll turn into sand!”
“You’re a smart kid, you know that?”
He grinned.
“Come on.” Hank straightened and picked up the bucket. “Let’s take these back.” He started up the beach, and a second later the kid was dogging his steps. Hank glanced down and shortened his strides.
Theodore slid his hand around one side of the bucket handle so they both were carrying it. He looked up at Hank. “Will the oyster go to heaven?” “Yeah, kid.”
“How do you know?”
Hank stopped, set down the bucket, and pulled the small pearl out of his pocket. “See this? You know what it is?”
“A pearl?”
“Yeah. Pearls come from oysters.”
“They do?”
“Yep. Hold out your hand.” Hank dropped the small pearl in the kid’s palm. “You know anything about heaven?”
“God lives there and so do the angels.”
Hank picked up one of the oyster shells and set it in his palm. “See the shell, kid?”
He nodded.
“It’s rough and ugly on the outside, but look at the inside.” Hank turned it over so that its pearlescent side was showing.
“It looks like a pearl.”
“That’s right.” Hank grinned. “Ever heard of the Pearly Gates?”
Theodore looked from him to the shell and then to the pearl in his hand. His face lit up, and he laughed.
Hank looked down at him and winked, then picked up the bucket again. “Let’s go.”
Theodore dogged his steps. “We’re buddies, Hank, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, kid.”
