Saving Winslow

Louie remembers when he was younger and woke up in the middle of the night because of the silvery sky that sent a bright beam of light into his bedroom. Intrigued, Louie saw that the light lit up the entire sky and cast shadows everywhere. Worried something was wrong, he woke up Gus, who reassured him that it was only a full moon and nothing unusual. The older boy even walked Louie to a spot where he could see the moon. Young Louie was incredulous because he had never seen it before.

Louie is so nervous the first time he gives Winslow a shot that he almost faints. Although he reassures himself that he can do it, he fears he will hurt the donkey. Louie’s dad holds Winslow. Nauseous and dizzy, Louie injects the medicine with relief and surprise. Afterward, he asks his dad to do it next time, but his father insists that it is Louie’s responsibility. The next time Louie injects Winslow, he is less successful, and he falters, believing himself incapable. However, Winslow’s pitiful state convinces Louie to try again, but this time the needle goes into the donkey’s muscle, and he yelps in pain. Louie wonders if he needed treatment like this when he was a baby. Although the shots get easier for Louie, Winslow does not improve quicky. The boy worries, and sometimes he compares protecting the animal to protecting Gus. One day, Mack and Claudine visit, surprised to see Winslow walking around the house in diapers. When Louie asks where Nora is, they make an excuse to leave, suggesting that Nora does not want to be near Winslow because he may die.

After winter break, Louie’s parents feed Winslow during the day while the boy takes over after school. He can barely concentrate on his studies because of his worry for the animal. He even attempts to find books on donkeys at the library, with no luck. The librarian leads him to Eeyore in Winnie-the-Pooh, and Louie is embarrassed and wonders if all donkeys are sad. When he returns home, however, Louie finds Winslow doing well and is happy to see him. Louie knows that his donkey is not sad.

At school, the only times Louie sees Nora is when she is alone in the hallway or at lunch. One day, he sits at her lunch table. When Nora tells him he does not have to sit there, Louie claims that he wants to sit with her. After an awkward silence, Nora asks about Winslow, except she calls him a “thing” and “it” and a “sickly creature” (62). Louie tells her that the donkey is doing well and that she should come visit. Nora agrees to think about it. The next weekend, she visits and offers a collar and a leash for Winslow, so Louie can take him for walks. Nora reveals that she once had a dog, but it died. Louie convinces her to pet Winslow, and when she does, the animal seems content.

Louie finds an old postcard from Gus and relishes in his brother’s simple words, for he feels like Gus is there with him. The note only says how hard Gus has been working and how tired he is. He signs off with the words, “Remember me” (66).

Another weekend, Louie’s mom is exasperated that Nora just lingers outside instead of coming to the door. When Louie invites her in, the girl claims to be just walking by. She has the leash and collar for Winslow, so they take him on a walk to the sledding hill. When they arrive, Nora encourages Louie to sled down with Winslow in his arms. He does, and Nora is so ecstatic, Louie insists that she do it too. Both she and Winslow whelp with glee on their way down the hill.

One day, Louie notices that Mack is sad. He learns that his friend is heartbroken because he loves Claudine, but she complained that he always wanted to be near her. This confuses Louie because he remembers how in second grade, a new girl named Cookie followed Louie around and never left his side. After a few weeks, Louie felt overwhelmed and told his teacher, who helped Cookie make other friends. This memory prompts Louie to advise Mack to give Claudine space for a few days and then maybe she will want to hang out again. Then, they visit Winslow, whose goofy behavior makes them both laugh.

There is a painting of a boy tugging a calf on a rope that hangs above Louie’s bed. A copy of this exact picture hung in the hospital outside the intensive care unit Louie occupied after his premature birth. His parents loved the painting so much, they wanted it at home too. Coincidentally, the artist is named Winslow Homer.

Spring arrives, and everything is green. One day, Nora walks by looking upset. Winslow is happy to see her, but Louie asks what is wrong. She notes that Winslow is attached to her, but he will not be able to stay at Louie’s house much longer, for he needs more space, and the neighbors are complaining about his loud braying. Then, Nora adds that Winslow will never be free and happy and that he will probably get sick and die. Frustrated, Louie asks why she always expects awful things to happen, and she retorts that he is foolishly optimistic. Hugging Winslow, Louie clarifies, “I worry about the worst, but I hope for the best” (79), which begins an argument between the two.

Louie’s family keeps all of Gus’s letters in a bowl, so they can read them at any time. Louie picks one to reread. In it, Gus asks about everyone, including Winslow. He also reveals that he killed and ate a snake. After reading the letter, Louie pretends Gus is there and mimics his older brother’s familiar actions like kicking off his shoes. Then, he looks though Gus’s things, smells his clothes, and puts on one of his football jerseys.

Because it is warmer and because he is growing, Winslow has moved to a pen outside. However, the yard is not big enough for a donkey, and the neighbors have complained about Winslow’s braying. One neighbor, Mrs. Tooley, who lives two houses down, always accuses Winslow of waking her baby. Even Mack suggests that it might be time for the donkey to live somewhere else.