Then it starts to move, slow. It goes in circles, and then stops on H. Then it speeds up. E, N, R, Y. Henry, says Mary Christina, whos Henry? Helen says, I dont know, but youre blushing, Clare. Who is Henry? I just shake my head, like its a mystery t
Francie asks Gayle what she was doing with Michael Planner at the Dairy Queen last Saturday. (Answer: eating ice cream. Well, duh.) After a while we all get bored with Truth or Dare, mainly because its hard to think of good dares that any of us will
I laugh and laugh. I have escaped again! Houdini, Prospero, behold me! for I am a magician, too. Nausea overcomes me, and I heave bile onto Kimys mums. Saturday, May 14, 1983 (Clare is 11 almost 12) CLARE: Its Mary Christina Heppworths birthday and a
Right, no problem. Anything else? Vivian Teska. Vivian is this girl in Geometry whom I lust after. Ive never said a word to her. After class tomorrow, go up to her and ask her out. I dont even know her. Trust me. Hes smirking at me in a way that make
If I hadnt said something, you wouldnt have gotten up.... Then why did you say anything? Because I did. You will, just wait. He shrugs. Its like with Mom. The accident. Immer wieder. Always again, always the same. Free will? He gets up, walks to the
Jesus, Henry. He shuts the door and I hear him walking back to his room. I throw my self a reproachful glare as I pull on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I walk down the hall to Dads bedroom. His door is shut. I knock. No answer. I wait. Dad? Silence.
As the show ends I look over at him and hes gone, vanished back to my old room in my dads apartment, standing sleep-addled beside my old bed, falling into it, gratefully. I turn off the TV and the bedside lamp. 1973 street noises drift in the open wi
we sport exact replicas of each others ears. Im taller and more muscular and shave. Hes slender and ungainly and is all knees and elbows. I reach up and pull my hair back from my face, show him the scar from the accident. Unconsciously, he mimics my
Hmm, my, you should take this to the security guards, hmm, theres quite a bit of cash in here, yes, the man wears thick glasses and peers at Henry through them as he speaks and Henry reaches around under the mans jacket and steals his wallet. Since H
He strolls on, braying, blissfully unaware, with his wallet in his left back pocket. He has a large gut but almost no backside, and his wallet is pretty much aching for me to take it. I amble along behind them. Henry has a clear view as I deftly inse
Clare turns and runs up the path, into the arms of her lighted and welcoming house, and I turn to the dark and begin to walk across the meadow. Later in the evening I chuck the tie in the dumpster behind Dinas Fish n Fry. LESSONS IN SURVIVAL Thursday
and Etta is going to be as mad as a hatter if you dont go in pretty soon. Are you going to sleep here? You could come to our house, we have a guest room. Gosh, thats very nice of you. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to meet your family until 1991. Cl
Thanks, Clare, you did a great job I call softly. I am surprised when she appears at the entrance to the clearing. Its getting dark quickly and Clare looks tiny and scared in the half light. Hi. Hi, Clare. Thanks for the clothes. Theyre perfect, and
So after dinner I asked Etta if I could go outside and she said did I have homework and I said Spelling and bring leaves for art class, and she said Okay as long as you come in by dark. So I went and got my blue sweater with the zebras and I got the
Did not. Did too. We just met for the very first time, and as soon as you laid eyes on me you said, Thats the man Im going to marry, and you pasted me one. I always said you were an excellent judge of character. Thursday, September 29, 1977 (Clare is
Thats a great idea. But what I really need isnt money, its clothing. Clare looks at me doubtfully. Does your dad have any clothes he doesnt need? Even a pair of pants would be great. I mean, I like this towel, dont get me wrong, its just that where I
Clare sits down at the edge of the clearing. Etta says I shouldnt talk to strangers. Thats good advice. Silence. When are you going to disappear? When Im good and ready to. Are you bored with me? Clare rolls her eyes. What are you working on? Penmans
Santa is magic. Youre not Santa. Meaning Im not magic? Geez, Louise, youre a tough customer. Im not Louise, I know. Youre Clare. Clare Anne Abshire, born May 24, 1971. Your parents are Philip and Lucille Abshire, and you live with them and your grand
Why are you hiding? Clare is glowering at me. I toss her shoes back into the clearing. She picks them up and stands holding them like pistols. Im hiding because I lost my clothes and Im embarrassed. I came a long way and Im hungry and I dont know any
Clare spreads the towel on the ground and dumps out the contents of the bag: every imaginable kind of writing implement. Old ballpoint pens, little stubby pencils from the library, crayons, smelly Magic Markers, a fountain pen. She also has a bunch o