Sheâs your age. A nice kid, really, Youâll like her. I think. In any event, Iâd like you to more or less take her under your wing. Show her the ropes, be kind to her. Can you do that for me? Iâm very fond of Sproggy.â
Do you love her more than me? Adam wanted to ask. And didnât. Instead he said, âI donât know. Thatâs a lot of things. Why does she have that dopey name?â
âOh, itâs one of those things that begins in childhood and then sticks, I guess.â
The waiter brought their dinner. âEverything all right, sir?â he asked.
âEverythingâs fine, thank you.â
The waiter went away.
âYou might think, when you meet her, that Sproggyâs not in need of any looking after. She seems very grown-up, very much in charge.â His father began to eat. Adam did the same. The pot au feu was pretty good. He was glad he hadnât had hamburger. You had to be adventurous once in a while if you wanted to get anywhere in life, he decided.
âBut sheâs really not so grown-up, and I think she could use a friend. I told Arabella I was going to ask this favor of you, Adam.â His father extracted a snail from its shell and said, âWould you like to try one?â
Adam shook his head. He wasnât that adventurous.
âWeâd both feel much better about Sproggy if we knew youâd look out for her at first,â his father said. âIâve told Arabella so much about you. Weâd be grateful if youâd keep an eye on her for a couple of weeks.â
âIâll try, Dad,â Adam said. I donât want to, he thought. I wish Dad hadnât asked me. âI donât think I can do much, though,â he said.
âWell, thanks. Thatâs a relief.â
They finished their dinner. âHow about some dessert?â his father asked.
âIâm full,â Adam said. It was all that bread.
âYou canât manage a confection of whipped cream and chocolate?â
The waiter presented Adam with just such a confection, and he demolished it.
âThatâs a little soldier. I knew you could do it.â The check arrived, and Adam watched as his father piled bills in a heap on the tray. All that for one meal.
âAre you up to a movie?â
âMom said you couldnât take any blood and violence,â Adam said. âThat sort of limits us.â
âHave you ever seen Charlie Chaplin?â
âNo,â Adam said.
âThatâs good. This will be your first exposure.â They walked a few blocks and saw The Gold Rush .
âIt was the best movie I ever saw,â Adam said as they walked home. âWaitâll I tell Kenny and Steve what theyâre missing.â
He thanked his father for a great time. âSee you tomorrow,â he said. âIt was the best.â That night Adam dreamed he was walking up the steps of Gracie Mansion. The windows were lit and music was playing. When he got inside, the Mayor, a little man with a mustache, dressed in a black suit and a derby, and carrying a cane, greeted him.
CHAPTER 4
âHow come weâre using napkins that have to be ironed?â Adam asked next morning. âInstead of paper ones?â
âUse your head,â his mother said. âOne doesnât use paper napkins at a time like this.â
He thought of asking, âWhy?â and decided against it.
âI might have to leave after lunch,â he said. âI and Kenny have a date.â
She grasped him by the shoulder. For a small woman she was pretty strong.
âNow you listen to me,â she said from between tight lips. âThereâll be no skinning out of this one.â
She surveyed the table critically. âItâll have to do,â she said. The doorbell rang. She jumped. Adam froze.
âThatâs them,â he whispered.
His mother arranged a smile on her face.
âLook pleasant,â she