Sammy watched Kevin unwrap a candy bar with chocolate and nuts. He took a big bite and chewed. Sammy swallowed. He could almost taste the chocolate in his mouth. “Can I go home tomorrow?” he said. His mother would make him chocolate chip cookies.
“What for?” Kevin licked his lips. “They don’t treat you so good.”
“They do. They’re nice to me,” Sammy said.
“You call being kicked out of your house nice? What happens when you go back? Your mom’s going to belt you. She’s going to say, ‘Why didn’t you chain your bike?’ That’s right! And then Carl’s going to kick your ass.”
Sammy bit his fingers. Was Carl going to do that? He’d never hit him, but… Kevin was smart. He knew a lot of things.
“People aren’t nice. They don’t leave you alone. Somebody’s always trying to make you do things you don’t want to do, or they kick you or chase you. It’s better here, in the woods.”
“Trees watch you,” Sammy said.
“Nobody squeals on you here. Nobody runs to the cops and says, ‘There’s this funny kid sleeping under the stairs.’ I just went in this place to get warm by the radiator. And then this cop comes with the bracelets on his belt that he’s going to snap around my wrists and drag me off someplace.”
Sammy kept his eye on the chocolate bar. It was getting smaller and smaller.
“Then they want to know who I am and why and what I’m doing,” Kevin went on. “Nobody’s business but my own, but I don’t say that. I jump out the window and run for it, then walk around the rest of the night till daylight comes and I can go in someplace and get something to eat.”
Sammy listened. The candy bar had a silver paper lining.
“No, man. People are no good. They put you out of the house; you think that’s nice? Your mother did that.”
“Can I have a piece of that candy?” It wasn’t polite to ask, but he couldn’t help it.
Kevin broke the remainder of the bar in two and gave the smaller piece to Sammy. “Thanks!” Sammy shoved it in his mouth, then tried to make it last by sucking on it.
“Why don’t you just stay here with me,” Kevin said.
“Stay with you?”
“I don’t care.”
“Always, you mean?”
“Not the rest of your life, man. Just for now.”
“Even in the wintertime?”
“It’s not that bad. You go over to the mall and sit in the library.”
“Is that far away?”
“What do you care? It’s not that far. Nothing’s that far away. Sometimes I help people with their packages and get some money. If it snows a lot, we stay here. Oh, man, I was warm, but once I couldn’t get out for three days.”
“Could I visit my sister and my mother?”
“What for?”
“I like my sister. I miss her.”
“Look at me, Sammy. I don’t have a sister. I don’t have a mother, and I’m okay. You don’t see me crying. I get along good.”
Sammy thought about that. “So you would be like my brother, almost?”
Kevin shrugged. “Yeah, if you want me to.”
“That would be good,” Sammy said. “But I would still miss my mother and sister.”
“What’s so great about your sister, anyway? She’s probably stuck-up.”
Sammy swallowed the last bit of chocolate and ran his tongue over his teeth. “Bethan is not stuck-up. She’s funny, and she helps me a lot. She teaches me things. She says if I keep practicing, I can learn anything.”
“Yeah? How about those shoelaces? How come you can’t tie your own shoelaces? Why didn’t she teach you that?”
“It’s too hard. My mother says—”
“See, that’s what I mean. They’re making a baby out of you. Here, give me that sneaker.” He grabbed one of Sammy’s sneakers and tied the lace. “Now, you do it.”
Sammy tried, but it came out all wrong, as always, a big mess. “Boy, oh boy,” he said. “I can’t do that one.”
Kevin studied him. “Are you trying, or are you just giving up? You want to know how to do it or don’t you?”
“I do,” Sammy said.
“Then pay attention. Are you watching?” Kevin knelt behind Sammy and guided his hands. He did it once, then he did it again, and again. “Now, you do it.”
Sammy did it. “Is that right?” he said.
“Not perfect, but that’s it. Try it again.”
Sammy was surprised. After a few more times, he was doing it. He was tying his shoelaces. It wasn’t any harder than swimming.
“Okay, buddy!” Kevin punched him in the arm. It hurt, but it was a good punch.
“Now let me punch you,” Sammy said.
“Go,” Kevin said, and Sammy punched him. “You call that a punch? Do it again.”
Sammy did.
“Mosquito bite,” Kevin said. “Baby touch. Come on, punch me hard. Draw your fist back. Turn sideways, and then let it go as hard as you can.”
Sammy put everything into the punch. Whaam! Kevin fell down and lay still. “I’m sorry.” Sammy leaned over him. “I’m sorry, Kevin!”
Kevin sat up and laughed. “You didn’t do so bad for a beginner,” he said.