HERB DOESNT BELIEVE WHO I AM RITE AWAY

but when I unzip my coat and pull up my shirt sleeve to show him my 15 Street tatoo he lets me into the cab.

Man you dont look like you belong he says.

I know.

Jade says to come down to the Princes Gates and pick up 1 of the possy I am not looking for you he says.

I know.

Herb drives off without any more questions. He doesnt ask about the cows or the sirens or anything. If I am in the possy I am okay. For the first time in days I feel power full. The hole possy is behind me—Jade and Cobra and Scratch and Snocone and X-Ray and now Herb. His hair stands up like black fingers on his head. He wears driving gloves that fit tite. The cab smells spicy. We go along the lake and then up a hill into the city. When we meet the ambulances Herb pulls over to let them past. He pulls over again when we meet the police cars and the fire truck. I ask Herb how he is doing tonite and he says fine.

Spencer is not at city hall. The concert is over and the big square is almost empty. Its late and outside and the middle of winter. There is a stage off to the side and posters of Aiden Tween are flapping in the wind. Even from a distance I can see the capital letters. AT. The clock in the tall tower across the street bongs the time. 1 bong—1 oclock.

I dont know what to do so I go back to the cab witch is waiting by the curb. Herb reaches to the seat beside him and hands me a bag.

This is for you he says. Jade told me youd need them.

What? I say.

There my brothers he says. He wore them last year but hes 2 big for them now.

In the bag theres a pair of running shoes.

Jade said to get you a pair of shoes and go pick you up says Herb.

Wow I say.

Thats all. Wow. I dont know what else to say. Its thank you and you didnt have to and holy crap all at once. Herb waves it away.

My feet are recked. Wrecked. Ive been wearing rental skates all week. Now Im back where I rented them. I left my boots under a bench—theyll be long gone. I want to put on the runners—but not quite yet.

Wait another minit I tell Herb. This rink is still open. Can you wait a minit?

Your 15 he says. I do what you tell me. You want me to wait I wait. You want to drive to Vancoover I do that.

What?

Take a few days but I can do it.

Hes serious.

OK then give me a minit I say.

I hop my way over to the rink and do a lap. Push. Glide. Push. The ice is pretty good but my skates are so dull I slip a lot. I feel like crying but I cant do it. My chest heaves in and out but what comes out is a laff. Maybe I am 2 tired to cry and when you cant cry you laff insted. Its been a long week.

The Aiden Tween song playing on the sound system stops in the middle. Hey you dancing in the corner by yourself dont look so sad its not so—the lites go out 1 by 1. Now the rink is in darkness. An old guy comes out of the rental place. I go over and hand him my skates. He takes them and looks at them a long time.

These he says. Number 13.

Yeah.

These been gone for days he says. Where you find them?

On my feet.

What?

I turn away.

Wait a minit he says. But I am already gone in my new runners witch fit ok. A little long maybe but way better than socks. And maybe I will grow into them.