Toby

Somebody else finally came along, this kid Ralph and his little sister in their wagon.

Ralph + Lou Cavaletto it says on the side, like they’re in a business together. They come by about once a week, from the other side of the viaduct, around Parnell Street I think, heading to the Jewel for groceries or the vacant lot for empty pop bottles, for the two-cent refund. So maybe that’s the business they’re in, the returning-empties business. Lot of money in that, I’m sure.

They said hi and kept going.

I told them, “Wait.”

They stopped.

“C’mere. Show you something.”

The little one, Lou—funny name for a girl—got out of the wagon and they both came over, obedient. Ralph’s about ten and she’s maybe eight I’d say. They’re both real skinny, Ralph’s nose is way too big, and they’ve got these dark, sunk-in eyes. They look like a couple of gypsies or something.

I had that fifteen cents I told you about and I took out a dime. “See this?” I said. “This is yours. How’s that sound? Not too bad?”

They waited, like there had to be more.

They were right. I tapped on the lid of one of my boxes and told them if they could guess how many baseball cards were inside they would win themselves this bright shiny dime. “Go ahead,” I told them. “Nothing to lose. Take a guess.”

They stood there looking at the box, thinking hard. I finished up a piece of toast and licked my sticky fingers.

“Hundred and twenty-seven,” Ralph said.

I looked at his sister. “What about you?”

She looked at Ralph, then at me, then at the box. “Hunnerd and...twenty-eight.”

I had no idea but I told them, “Wow, very close, both of you, very close. Try again. Only, this time I’m gonna need a nickel first, you know how it is.”

Ralph said they had to be going.

“Wait,” I said. “Ever see a woman’s titties? Five cents.”

He said he didn’t have it.

“All right, for free.” I lifted up my T-shirt. “Check ‘em out.”

Lou looked at her brother. He just stood there staring.

“Think I oughta wear a bra?” I said.

They didn’t laugh, either one of them.

They’re a little weird, those two.