Floyd Dell（1887-1969）在他的小說中經常流露對貧苦無依老人的同情與關懷。

爸爸明天就要送爺爺去養老院住。九月淡淡的月亮懸掛在峽谷上空，爸爸外出去看他即將再婚的女人，Petey與爺爺倆搬了兩張椅子到屋外話別。爺爺說：「我進去拿小提琴拉幾首曲子給你聽。」可是他卻拿出爸爸今天買的毛毯，一條紅底黑色十字條紋的雙層大毛毯。爺爺把毛毯放在膝上輕撫著：「你爸爸真好，為了送我到養老院買這麼貴的毛毯，馬上就要入冬了，養老院裡一定很少人有這麼暖和的毛毯。」
It was a big, double blanket, red, with black cross stripes. "Now, isn't that a fine blanket!" said the old man, smoothing it over his knees. "And isn't your father a kind man to be giving the old fellow a blanket like that to go away with It cost something, it did-look at the wool of it! And warm it will be these cold winter nights to come. There'll be few blankets there the equal of this one!"

Petey走進屋內拿出小提琴，爺爺開始拉起一些老歌。晚風吹來，他想到以後再也聽不到爺爺的琴聲，爸爸即將再娶，他不由自主痛苦地扭曲身體。爺爺突然停住說：「你爸爸再娶年輕漂亮的太太自己也會變年輕，我這個老人渾身是病，只會讓人討厭，何況我也受不了嬰兒的哭鬧聲。所以養老院對我來說是最好的去處。」
"And what would an old fellow like me be doing around their house, getting in the way, an old nuisance, what with my talk of aches and pains! And then there'll be babies coming, and I'd not want to be there to hear them crying at all hours. It's best that I take myself off, like I'm doing. One more tune or two, and then we'll be going to bed to get some sleep against the morning, when I'll pack up my fine blanket and take my leave. Listen to this, will you It's a bit sad, but a fine tune for a night like this."

女人的笑聲從門廊傳來，爺爺的琴聲頓時停住。她說：「我明早不能來送行，特地來和你道別。」爺爺彎下身拿起腳邊的毛毯說：「我兒子送的，很好的毛毯。」女人仔細摸著：「毛料的確很好一定很貴，還是雙層呢！」語氣冰冷不悅。Petey突然轉身走進屋子，耳中還聽到女人責備爸爸說：「他不必用到雙層的！」就走了，爸爸一時不知所措。Petey拿出一把剪刀對爸爸說：「她沒說錯，把毛毯剪開！爺爺只要單層就夠了，另一層留下來以後用得上。」「以後？你是指什麼時候？」「等你老了我要把你送走時再用。」
 "A single blanket's enough for an old man when he's sent away. We'll save the other half, Dad; it will come in handy later." "Now, what do you mean by that" asked Dad. "I mean," said the boy slowly, "that I'll give it to you, Dad-when you're old and I'm sending you - away."

爸爸靜默無語，爺爺把手放在爸爸肩膀上輕輕地說：「我知道你並不想把我送走……」Petey哭出來，不過這沒關係，因為他們三人都哭了。
He heard Granddad whisper, "It's all right, son-I knew you didn't mean it.. . " And then Petey cried. But it didn't matter-because they were all three crying together.