Finally, I say the only thing that comes into my head. “Jerry Lew-is does-n’t know what he’s tal-king about.”

“Damn right!” I’ve made her laugh.

She turns her head. “Hey, Margie, you know why they call it Camp Courage stew?”

“Naw.”

“It takes courage to eat it!”

“Courage you ain’t got!”

“Courage I ain’t got.”

I would gladly eat her stew as well as my own. It isn’t great, but if you stir it up, it’s not bad. I’m still hungry.

*   *   *

They’ve pulled a movie screen over the big stone fireplace at the lodge. It’s nearly time to see the movie the Soviet selected. For once, Sara’s excited about an activity.

“You’ll love it. There’s this bit where Groucho dictates a letter to his lawyer, ‘Hungerdunger Hungerdunger Hungerdunger Hungerdunger Hungerdunger & McCormick. Gentlemen. Question mark.’ No wait, I think that’s in Animal Crackers. In this one, Groucho sings ‘Whatever it is, I’m against it.’ Or that might be Duck Soup. It doesn’t matter. I know Groucho does something really funny in this one. He always does!”

Mr. Bob stands up in front of the screen, but Sara is still talking. “Margie, you’ve never seen the Marx Brothers? Harpo will just absolutely kill you!”

Mr. Bob speaks in his kindergarten way. “Tonight, we’re going to enjoy a Disney Classic—”

“What did you say?”

Each of Sara’s words pops out like a tiny explosion, but Mr. Bob pretends not to hear. “—it’s called Pollyanna.”

“What happened to Horse Feathers?” Sara insists. “The Soviet chose Horse Feathers.”

Willie presses down on her back with both hands, almost like he’s expecting her to jump out of her wheelchair by some miracle and attack someone. From the row in front of us, Carole turns back. “Listen, if you don’t want to watch this? I can sit outside with you, okay?” She steps over her chair and pushes Sara toward the door.

Willie gets behind me and unlocks my brakes, and we follow Carole and Sara to the picnic table outside. Mr. Bob pretends to ignore Sara and talks, while Sara truly does ignore him and talks, talks with that kind of out-of-control control I’ve never seen in anyone but her.

“This place is completely beyond hope. The fucking arrogance of this place. To create a ‘Camper Council,’ and give it one trifling little task, to select one movie, one night, and then, without discussion, without reason, without even informing us, to take away that one trifling little choice, because maybe if we start making choices—even one trifling little choice—we’ll get the idea that we’re human beings instead of passive little freaks without a fucking brain in our heads…”