Even As We Breathe

Cowney meets Lee and Solomon, called “Sol.” Sol is overbearing and shows an inclination to bully Cowney. At first, Solomon says nothing and refuses to shake hands with Cowney. The first thing Cowney does is find clothes, ending up with overalls that are far too big for him. He goes out and chops loads of firewood for the guests for that evening. As he mistakenly goes back to the front door of the Grove Park Inn, the military officer who first greeted him stops him. Cowney quickly makes his way back out and goes to the dining hall where he encounters Lee and Sol. Sol leaves his plate for Cowney to carry into the kitchen. When he sits down, Sol digs his elbow into Cowney’s shoulder and gives him a warning, letting him know he is unwelcome. Sol reminds Cowney of his Uncle Bud: “I closed my eyes just briefly enough to see Sol’s face melt into that of Bud’s” (46). When Lee returns, he seems remorseful for the way Sol treats Cowney. Cowney believes the two of them are a matched pair like Jekyll and Hyde.