Chapter 9

           IgotBrutalandDeanrightaway,becausebothofthemwereontheexchange.Harrywasn’t,notthen,atleast,butIhadthenumberofhisclosestneighborwhowas.Harrycalledmebackabouttwentyminuteslater,highlyembarrassedathavingtoreversethechargesandsputteringpromisesto"payhisshare"whenournextbillcame.Itoldhimwe’dcountthosechickenswhentheyhatched;inthemeantime,couldhecomeovertomyplaceforlunch?BrutalandDeanwouldbehere,andJanicehadpromisedtoputoutsomeofherfamousslaw...nottomentionherevenmorefamousapplepie.

           "Lunchjustforthehellofit?"Harrysoundedskeptical.

           IadmittedIhadsomethingIwantedtotalktothemabout,butitwasbestnotgoneinto,evenlightly,overthephone.Harryagreedtocome.Idroppedthereceiverontotheprongs,wenttothewindow,andlookedoutthoughtfully.Althoughwe’dhadthelateshift,Ihadn’twakenedeitherBrutalorDean,andHarryhadn’tsoundedlikeafellowfreshlyturnedoutofdreamland,either.ItseemedthatIwasn’ttheonlyonehavingproblemswithwhathadhappenedlastnight,andconsideringthecrazinessIhadinmind,thatwasprobablygood.

           Brutal,wholivedclosesttome,arrivedatquarterpasteleven.Deanshowedupfifteenminuteslater,andHarry—alreadydressedforwork—aboutfifteenminutesafterDean.Janiceserveduscoldbeefsandwiches,slaw,andicedteainthekitchen.