A Bird in the House

Vanessa, at the age of 6, learns that her 15-year-old cousin Chris will be coming to stay at the Brick House to attend high school, as there’s no high school in his northern hometown. Initially resistant due to their age difference, Vanessa is instructed by her mother, Beth, to be polite and welcoming.

Chris arrives, and despite Vanessa’s apprehensions, she finds herself wanting to defend him when her mother criticizes his appearance. He is tall, thin, and friendly, immediately warming to Vanessa and treating her as an equal, which softens her initial reluctance. However, Grandfather Connor openly complains about the inconvenience and cost of hosting Chris. Despite the tension, Chris remains unfazed, showing a calm demeanor that contrasts with Vanessa’s internal anger.

Chris becomes a caretaker for Vanessa when her parents are away, further endearing himself to her through his creativity and kindness. He crafts a miniature saddle for her birthday and shares stories of his home in Shallow Creek, sparking Vanessa’s imagination with tales of a house built from lakeside trees and dinosaur fossils.

As the Depression worsens and a drought impacts Manawaka, Vanessa becomes aware of these challenges more abstractly, likening them to a “malevolent God.” She overhears her parents discussing Chris’s academic performance, noting that while satisfactory, it isn’t enough to secure a college scholarship. With Grandfather Connor unable to fund further education after three years of support, Vanessa worries about Chris having to leave but holds onto hope for a miracle.

When it’s time for Chris to leave Manawaka, Vanessa helps him pack. Chris maintains a positive outlook, believing anyone can achieve their goals with enough determination. Shortly after Chris leaves, his mother informs them that he never returned to Shallow Creek but instead went to Winnipeg, leaving no address behind. This news concerns Beth, as it seems out of character for Chris to be so irresponsible. While Beth and Ewen deliberate over how to explain this to Grandfather Connor, Vanessa retreats to the Wachakwa River, overwhelmed by emotion.

Life in Manawaka moves on. Aunt Edna returns from Winnipeg, Roddie is born, and Grandmother Connor passes away. Two years later, when Vanessa is 11, Chris reappears unexpectedly, now working as a traveling salesman for vacuum cleaners. Despite Beth and Ewen’s citing their financial constraints, Chris enthusiastically demonstrates the product's benefits. On subsequent visits, he sells magazines and later sewing machines, despite the lukewarm reception from his family and Grandfather Connor’s displeasure.

After Ewen’s death, Beth takes Vanessa to Shallow Creek, which disappoints Vanessa as it contrasts starkly with both Chris’s descriptions and her imagination. She hesitates even to bring up the horses that Chris had once talked about. Finding limited work opportunities, Chris has returned to his family’s hay farm and invites Vanessa to camp near the bluffs. During the camping trip, Vanessa feels uneasy; Chris has changed much and engages in deep philosophical discussions about the absence of purpose in life and God’s existence, including the despairing look of a horse stuck in mud during wartime.

Later, Vanessa learns that Chris has enlisted in the army during World War II but suffers a violent mental breakdown, leading to his institutionalization. When she finds the miniature saddle Chris crafted for her years ago, she places it in a box in the attic.