11
Traveling Ballerina
April 1945 — LelandWhen a windstorm ripped the branches from the towering oak tree, Leland didn’t hear them fall or see the leaves scuttle across the sidewalk. Inside his shop, he heard the sounds of building, smelled the sweet scent of sanded wood, and listened to the rhythmic nudge of the hammer against a nail.
Working on the special desk for Shunsaku’s wife had given him hope again. Hope that his hands could do more than clutch a bottle—they could bring joy to others. He had changed, and he knew it was for the better. Whereas sawdust used to remind him of every painful particle of life chafing against his skin, now he saw it as a soft, powdery cushion from the past. With work, he could go on and build beautiful furniture for others and rebuild his life at the s
