The man didn't respond. He sat silently for a second. Finally he said, "Get up, now. It's time for you to go home."
They both walked to the center of the room. Jonas put his tunic back on. "Goodbye, sir," he said. "Thank you for my first day."
The old man nodded to him. He looked drained, and a little sad.
"Sir?" Jonas said shyly.
"Yes? Do you have a question?"
"It's just that I don't know your name. I thought you were The Receiver, but you say that now I'm The Receiver. So I don't know what to call you."
The man had sat back down in the comfortable upholstered chair. He moved his shoulders around as if to ease away an aching sensation. He seemed terribly weary.
"Call me The Giver," he told Jonas.
