Proud to be the bearer of astonishing news, i run back. "daddy! there’s a tree in the sitting room! "

i expect my father to spring from his chair, alarmed, and rush to the sitting room. instead, my parents laugh. they explain about christmas trees and decorations.

oh. is that all? a christmas tree is interesting, but i am disappointed. a tree slipping into the house at night had appealed to me. i want my father to charge into the sitting room to save us all from the intruder.

based on this excerpt, the reader can reasonably infer that the narrator is