Intensely Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Author:Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

11

People Care

Liz told me that another local station included a shot of Keeno and Mark on the early news after they started showing up at Metro stops in the District and Virginia. A week later a brief story about them came out in the Gazette. If people weren’t inspired by the music, they were at least amused, it seemed, and enough dollars accumulated in the saw case to persuade the guys to keep at it.

We were busy at the Melody Inn as fall orders began to come in from schools for choir music, band music, and rental instruments for orchestra. Dad was also looking for someone to hire to replace David, who’d be leaving around the middle of August. He’d be going back to college full-time and entering a seminary after he graduated to study for the priesthood.

“I’ve been wondering why you’d choose Georgetown over Catholic U?” I asked him.

“Georgetown’s a little more open to controversy. Faith that’s not challenged can grow dull, you know,” he said.

“If you say so,” I told him.

The first week back home for me went by in a blur of activity. A lot of paperwork had piled up the few days we were in Chicago, and I was tired in the evenings from just running around the store, glad to eat my dinner on the back porch, e-mail Patrick, or read the last of the assignments on my summer reading list, Crime and Punishment. Liz went to Metro stops with Keeno and Mark sometimes to help carry stuff, and Pamela was visiting her cousin in New Jersey.

My e-mails to Patrick were brief and to the point. I’ve known him long enough to understand that he doesn’t much like small talk. He doesn’t e-mail just to be doing something. He hates texting unless it’s something important. Ditto for phone calls. I can see Patrick as CEO of some major corporation someday. But when I’d told him that on our walk along Lake Michigan, he’d looked surprised.

“That’s about the last thing I’d ever want to do with my life,” he’d said.

“Some get paid millions,” I’d said.

“My point exactly,” he’d answered. “Who needs millions?”

Miss u a lot, I e-mailed once. Loved your scent on the pillow.

I could smell your shampoo on my towel, he e-mailed back.

Gwen called that Saturday.

“You still on for next Monday? For the week?” she asked.

My mind spun like a pinball in a machine, and I finally remembered agreeing to work evenings in a Montgomery County soup kitchen.

“I’m still up for it,” I said. “Pamela’s coming back tomorrow. Have you reached Liz?”

“Yeah. I thought she might have run off by now with one of the Naked Carpenters, but I finally got her.”

I laughed. “You’ve noticed too? Her thing for Keeno?”

“She’s sure having fun, I’ll say that,” said Gwen.

“You know what? Since Brian quit coming around so much, Keeno’s been hanging out with Mark, and Mark’s a different guy. Have you noticed? I mean, who knew he could play the harmonica? Who knew he’d get up the nerve to play in his underwear?”

“What was he like before?” Gwen asked.

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