I and Sproggy (6 page)

Adam was vice-president. He decided on fund-raising activities and kept track of infractions of the rules. So far they hadn't had any of either.

Kenny was treasurer. He held the financial reins and held them tightly.

“I'm getting bored,” Adam said. He was irritated because of what Charlie'd said. “Nothing ever happens in this club.”

“I think we should increase the dues to fifteen cents a week,” Kenny said. “That way we can buy a new soccer ball sooner.”

“I can't afford it,” Adam said. “If you increase the dues, I'm getting out.”

“Out!” Kenny rolled his eyes. “Out of the club? Outrageous! You can't do that, Adam. That'd leave us with only two members. You can't have a club with two members.”

“I'm not red-hot on soccer. I thought this was going to be a club to make money.”

“Soccer is very big and bound to get bigger,” Steve said. “My father says so.” Adam was getting pretty fed up with hearing words of wisdom from Steve's father. He and Kenny began to argue.

“Come to order!” Steve shouted, banging his gavel.

A woman sitting on the next bench said in a loud voice, “Children should be seen and not heard.” Then she turned to her friend and said, “My daughter's boyfriend is into life insurance.”

Adam eavesdropped. He picked up a lot of things that way. Besides, let Kenny and Steve argue. He was tired.

“What's
that
mean?” the other woman said.

“He's a life-insurance salesman. That's what they say these days. Into. Everything's into.”

“Tell her to hook up with a dentist or a doctor, that's where the money is,” the other woman advised.

They got up and strolled away.

“I vote we take a karate course,” Adam said. “My father knows a man who can break a board with his bare hands, he's so strong from taking karate. He practices on his steering wheel while he's driving.”

“That guy must rack up a lot of cars that way,” Kenny said. “Bounces them off telephone poles, causes traffic jams, accidents. Maybe knocked off a couple of people even. Crazy.” He and Steve shook their heads some more.

“I think this club stinks,” Adam said.

“What's the matter with you?” Kenny said. “You act like you just stepped into a hornet's nest.”

“None of your business,” Adam said. “If you can't get something started, we might as well forget the whole stupid club.”

A silence fell, as thick as smoke.

“Hey!” Kenny cried. “That looks like Rosalie over there.”

“Where?” Adam said.

“Right there.” Kenny pointed. It did look a lot like Rosie, but it couldn't be. It also looked a lot like …

“I can't stand it,” Adam said. “I can not stand it.”

“Hi, Sproggy,” Kenny called.

“There you are.” Sproggy waved and walked toward them. “I offered to take your dog for a walk, and your mum said that would be fine. Now she's used to me. Aren't you, Rosie?” She bent down and patted Rosie on her nose.

“Nobody calls her Rosie except me,” Adam said in a cold voice. “Her name's Rosalie.”

Rosalie turned her big brown eyes toward Sproggy and wiggled her rump with pleasure. She even sat on Sproggy's shoes, something she did only when she loved someone. She didn't sit on just anyone's shoes. Only Adam's and, once in a great while, his mother's or Charlie's. It was a sign of approval when Rosie sat on your shoes.

“Shape up,” Adam said. “Shape up, you dog.”

Very deliberately, Rosie adjusted her position so that she, too, had turned her back on Adam. First Charlie, now Rosie. What was this, anyway? What was happening?

“I thought Rosalie didn't take to strangers,” Kenny said.

“I'm not a stranger,” Sproggy said. “I'm practically one of the family.”

The bad temper that had been plaguing Adam all day took charge.

“That's what you think,” he said in a peevish tone. He got up. “When you guys make up your minds about what kind of club this is, let me know.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way toward Gracie Mansion. He pretended he'd been invited to a party there that would start in a few minutes.

“Yes, sir,” the guard would say, recognizing Adam. “Just go right in, sir. They're expecting you.” And Adam would climb the stairs to the front door. When he reached the top, the door would open, the Mayor would come out, shake hands with Adam, and say, “You're just in time. We were waiting for you.”

Only as Adam came to the guard's booth, peered in, and said, “Hi. How are things today?” the face turned to him was an unfamiliar one. A new man who didn't mess around, apparently. A sour guard who hated kids.

“Move along there,” he told Adam in a rude voice. “Just you move along and don't bother me.”

Adam went home and lay down on his bed.

CHAPTER 8

He stared at the orange and yellow clowns and circus animals cavorting on the walls. Ridiculous. He was almost eleven. What did they think he was, an infant? Charlie thought he was a rat. He thumped around on his mattress for a while, digging the heels of his shoes deep into it, then he put his feet deliberately on the paper and began to walk up the wall with a heavy tread, as if he were a man weighing two hundred pounds.

Now even Rosie liked her. Rosie sat on her feet and turned her back on him. As Charlie also had.

Adam hoped his mother would hear him and holler at him for putting his dirty shoes on the wall. He wanted her to holler at him, but he couldn't say exactly why.

Charlie was wrong. He didn't care if he had to share his father with Sproggy. Not even if he was just getting to know his father all over again. He didn't care.

You lie, a voice said in his head. You lie.

Adam put his hands behind his back and pretended his legs were in chains. No. His hands were chained behind him and his feet were his only tools to freedom. He was being held captive in a dungeon surrounded by a moat filled with alligators. It was a situation that called for tremendous courage and ingenuity. As he thrashed about, struggling to free himself, almost overcome by the stupor of despair, his mother said, “What on earth are you doing?”

She stood in the doorway. “I thought Big Foot had broken his way into the place while you were gone.” She sat down beside him. “I was just thinking, Adam, you'll need new clothes for school. Why don't we go shopping this afternoon? We should have gone last week, but somehow we always put things off until the last minute.”

“I don't,” Adam said. “You do.”

“We're running out of time. School starts next week. OK. If I get to work and stay at it until about two-thirty, we can go then.”

“Where's Rosie?” Adam asked. He knew the answer.

“Sproggy took her for a walk,” his mother said. “Rosalie seemed glad to go. She doesn't get enough exercise as it is.”

“I have to go up to Mr. Early's to get instructions for feeding Burton,” Adam told her. “That's his parrot. Mr. Early's paying me a dollar per diem to feed him while he goes to visit his sister in Jersey.”

“At those rates, I'll be able to borrow money from you for a change,” she told him. “I'll get back to work now.”

Somewhat comforted, Adam put his feet back on the wall, his hands still in chains. The snapping jaws of the alligators formed an ominous ring around him. It was all he could do to stay out of their way, loose his bonds, and figure out a way to be friends with Charlie again.

CHAPTER 9

Adam could hear the TV going when he went up to Mr. Early's. That must be the old bird watching his soaps. “Good boy,” Mr. Early said, answering his ring. “I told Burton you'd show up. He's waiting for you.”

I bet, Adam thought. I just bet.

“Oh, no!” Burton shouted, right on cue. “Not that kid again!”

“Behave,” Mr. Early said but in a tone Adam felt was far too gentle. That parrot needed to be put in his place. It was up to him, Adam, to do the job. It seemed wise, however, to wait until Mr. Early had gone off to Jersey to eat innards.

“Here are the seeds and the clean newspapers for his cage,” Mr. Early said, showing Adam around. “Wash out his water dish every day and I'll leave you the money for the grapes. And you won't forget the TV?”

“You can trust me,” Adam said. He looked around Mr. Early's apartment. It was very neat and clean and sunny. The table was set for one. “Always set my table for dinner right after I finish lunch,” he said. “That way I know I have something to look forward to.”

Suddenly he said, “I decided last night what to do with my body.”

“Your body?” Adam said, startled.

“After I die. I woke at precisely three a.m. I usually do. It's a terrible time to sit by yourself and think,” Mr. Early said. “But there it is. Old people wake up in the middle of the night. Don't know why. Don't need so much sleep, I guess. Anyway, everything seems pretty grim at three a.m., so I decided I better think positive thoughts. And I decided to give my body to science. They might be glad to get it.” He chuckled. “My brain and eyes ought to be worth something even if I did have a stroke. Now my heart's a different matter. The old ticker isn't in such good shape, but those doctors might find some use for it. The brain is OK. Good's it ever was, if I do say so. Don't like to brag,” he said, “but it's true.”

Adam thought that was a cool idea. He decided he'd leave his body to science, too. Of course, they might turn it down. But he figured that would be
their
tough luck.

“You want your money now or later?” Mr. Early said.

“Well,” said Adam, “I'd rather have it now. On the other hand, I'd spend it before I even did my job. Better pay me when you get back,” he said reluctantly.

The bell rang. Mr. Early went to answer it.

“I say.” Sproggy's voice rang out. “Is Adam here?”

“Come in, come in,” Mr. Early said. “Any friend of Adam's is a friend of mine. Haven't had so many visitors in a month of Sundays.”

“She's not my friend, she's my stepsister,” Adam said.

“What a beautiful parrot,” Sproggy said. Burton was quiet, studying her.

“We had a parrot named Pete at home. He was clever. Parrots are very clever, very smart,” she said. Burton smirked.

“What do
you
want?” Adam asked Sproggy. He couldn't believe she'd followed him here. “I'm arranging a business deal,” he told her. “I and Mr. Early are talking business.”

“I wanted to know if you'd like to go to the pizza parlor with me,” Sproggy said. “Mummy gave me enough money to treat you, if you like.”

Pizza. How long since he'd had a pepperoni pizza? The juices started to flow in Adam's mouth. He could not only smell the pizza, he could taste it.

“I can't,” he said. “I've got to go with my mother to get new clothes.”

“If I were a spot younger, my dear,” Mr. Early said gallantly, “I'd go with you. But pizza, dear me, no. Have you been in America long?”

“A week and a day,” Sproggy said. “I'm quite liking it, although I don't understand the language completely yet.”

“The last time I was in London, my dear wife and I walked through Hyde Park,” Mr. Early said. “It was a beautiful day after a week of rain, and there was a rainbow. I'll always remember that rainbow.”

“Quite.” Sproggy nodded. “Hyde Park is the most beautiful park in the whole world. Where is your wife? I should like to meet her.”

“She passed away two years ago,” Mr. Early said, as if he'd said it many times and was beginning to get used to the sound. “She passed away on the fourth of February. February is a good month for dying, it seems. Both my dear mother and father died in February, although not, of course, in the same year.”

“How terrible!” Sproggy said. “I'm so sorry.”

If I don't get out of here, Adam thought, I might kill her. If I could figure out a way, I would. Why did she have to ask Mr. Early about his wife? It might make him feel bad all over again.

But Mr. Early smiled at them both. “That was a long time ago,” he said.

“I have to go,” Adam said. “See you, Mr. Early.” As fast as he moved, Sproggy kept up. He ran down the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator. She was right behind him.

Outside his door he stopped.

“You are such a nerd!” he hollered at Sproggy. “You are such a super nerd it hurts my gut!”

“We don't have nerds in England,” Sproggy said in a cold voice.

“A nerd has furry warts all over it, and it makes disgusting noises and smells like chicken manure.” He pinched his nose closed with his fingers so when he talked he sounded as if he had a terrible cold. “And if you ever smelled chicken manure, you know it smells worse than any other kind.”

The old lady who lived down the hall opened her door and peered out.

“Such talk!” she said, scandalized. “I have a mind to wash out your mouth with soap.” She shut the door, probably waiting behind it to hear if he'd call Sproggy any more names. He thought she probably would wash out his mouth. If she could catch him.

Without a word Sproggy turned and pushed the elevator button. Adam let himself into his apartment. He felt ashamed of himself. He shouldn't have said that to her.

“Is that you, Adam?” his mother called. “I'm about ready.” Without answering, he opened the door and peered out cautiously. If Sproggy was still there, he'd say he was sorry.

It was too late. The hall was empty.

CHAPTER 10

“Sorry I ran off at the mouth yesterday,” Charlie told Adam next morning. “It's none of my business. But you never heard of sex equality? Women's lib? You don't go around keeping the ladies out of things, clubs, anymore. That's old hat. Can't you open up your heart to the little stranger? Just a crack?” Charlie said. “A nice, clean-cut kid like you doesn't have to go around being rude. I think a demon got hold of you, made you talk that way to Sproggy. But now that demon's kaput, right?”