Determined instead to do what a good father does — “Eases the burdens of those he loves” — Eber prays, “Let me do it cling. / Cleanly.”Both the boy and the man want to be heroic, though soon their roles reverse. After Robin falls through the ice and manages to pull himself only partly out, Eber drags him free. Recognizing the interconnectedness of his life with others, he realizes that it is not his sole possession to give away. When Eber is finally brought in from the cold, his response to Robin’s apology for fleeing the scene — “You did perfect.

Source: New York Times December 22, 2020 09:56 UTC