Summary

In Chapter 14, Sheila and the boys are talking on the phone. She sings a few sentences about her upcoming trip to Jamaica, including that Ernie and Genie will be picking peas while she is traveling. Ernest joins the conversation. Grandpop tries to join in the conversation, but Ernest brings it to an end. After the line goes dead, Grandpop is still saying, “Son!” (257) into the speaker. Later, Genie returns to the house after picking peas. Grandpop had been “slumped in his chair” (258) after Ernest refused to talk to him that morning. Ernest had refused to talk each time Grandpop tried to join the conversation, and he tried each time he heard Ernest's voice.

Marcus arrives and shows off some squirrels he shot that morning. Grandpop tells Marcus that Ernie is about to celebrate his 14th birthday, and says Marcus will be the one...