he was so tall , and big , and long , and friendly , like a golden retriever in human form . i know how to know whether some fruit is poisonous . i fall as i walk , landing on something soft . i mean how did you get food ? he still wont tell the kids no directly , but at least now he says no , your mother said you cant , so the answer is no . bill reached back and took my grandmother 's trowel . for a while he 'd thought it would really be okay . 