Audio Book Description:
Howard Kapostash has not spoken in thirty years. Ever since a severe blow to the head during his days in the army,words unravel in his mouth and letterson the page make no sense at all. Because of his extremely limited communication abilities- a small repertory of gestures and simple sounds-most people think he is disturbed. No one understands that Howard is still thesame man he wasbefore enlisting, still awed bythe beauty of a landscape, stillpining for his high school sweetheart, Sylvia. Now Sylvia isa single mom with troubles of her own, and she needsHoward`s help. She is being hauled into a drug rehab program and she asks Howard to care for her nine-year-old son, Ryan. The presence of this nervous,resourceful boy in Howard`s life transforms him utterly.With a child`s happiness at stake, communication takes on a fresh urgency, and the routine thatHoward has evolved over the years- designed specifically to minimize the agony of human contact- suddenly feels restrictive and even dangerous. Forcedout of his groove, Howard finds unexpected delights- inbaseball, in work, in meals with his housemates. His home comes alive with the joys, sorrows,and love of a real family. But these changes also open Howard to the risks ofloss and to therage he has spent a lifetime suppressing.
