5th Grade Week 3

Because of Winn-Dixie – Chapter 24

Opal and the preacher searched through the rain, calling for Winn-Dixie. Opal was glad the rain made it easy for her to cry because she cried the whole time. Again and again, she shouted, “Winn-Dixie!” The preacher whistled loudly, but Winn-Dixie did not appear.

They walked all through town. They passed the Dewberrys’ house, the Herman W. Block Memorial Library, Sweetie Pie’s yellow house, and Gertrude’s Pets. They searched near the Friendly Corners Trailer Park and looked under their trailer. They walked to the Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi and even past the railroad tracks toward Highway 50. Cars rushed by, and their red taillights looked frightening in the wet darkness.

Opal became more scared the longer they searched. She asked her father what would happen if Winn-Dixie had been hit by a car. The preacher told her they could not worry about what might have happened. He said all they could do was keep looking.

As they walked, Opal began listing ten things she knew about Winn-Dixie, the same way she had once memorized ten things about her mama. She remembered that Winn-Dixie was afraid of thunderstorms, liked to smile, could run fast, snored, and could catch mice. She also remembered that he liked meeting people, eating peanut butter, sitting on couches, sleeping in beds, and going to church.

Opal went over the list again and again in her mind. She thought that if she could not find Winn-Dixie, at least she would have part of him to hold on to. But then she realized something painful. A list of ten things could not truly show who Winn-Dixie was, just like the list about her mama could not fully show who Mama was. That thought made Opal cry even harder.

After they had searched for a long time, the preacher said it was time to stop. Opal was shocked and angry. She accused him of giving up on Winn-Dixie the way she believed he had given up on Mama. The preacher told her, “I tried.” Then he began to cry, and Opal saw that he had been hurting too.

Opal hugged him and asked the question she had been carrying inside: did he think Mama would ever come back? The preacher answered, “No, I do not.” That answer hurt, but it was honest.

Then the preacher reminded Opal of something Gloria had said: people cannot hold on to everything forever; they can only love what they have while they have it. Opal said she was not ready to let Winn-Dixie go. The preacher agreed to keep looking. He also told Opal he had realized Mama had left one important thing behind: “You.”

Opal was glad she had her father too. She took his hand, and together they walked back toward town, still calling and whistling for Winn-Dixie.