As a result of all this politeness, only Clinton, of the Williamses, had any hint of the fact that he and his family lived under this special scrutiny. And he was too concerned with internal affairs to give much thought to outside opinion. Besides, Clinton always regarded it as the New Neighborhood and did not even try to make friends in it. Outside his own family, the only people of importance to him were a small handful of Old Neighbors from Amelia Street where he was born. At first, he set out to make regular Saturday trips on the streetcar to visit these Old Neighbors; but as he began to suspect that in certain of those kitchens his visits were regarded as a nuisance, the trips soon petered out and stopped altogether.

Here are some sample pages from one of Clinton’s notebooks; they were written on a certain November day during the Williamses’ first year on Seminary Street:

[Clinton’s Notebook]

“I see you’ve pulled your blankets out again.”

I pretend to be asleep. She raised the blind.

“I suppose you think you’re getting away with this.

Sleep till noon, make a servant of your mother. Lord, I wish I knew how anyone could sleep with the blankets pulled out. I couldn’t sleep a wink if I thought my feet were . . . ! —You’re awake, mister, I can tell by your breathing. I’m looking at your eyelids right this minute, now see if you can keep them from fluttering!”

I opened my eyes and faced her.

“Do you think your father’s going to sit by and let you get away with this?” She got busy with the blankets.

I said, “I don’t think he cares whether or not I sleep with them tucked in.” I knew she wasn’t talking about the blankets, but I had some impulse to throw her a curve.

“Smart.”

“What time is it?”

“Ten o’clock.”

“I thought you said noon.”

“There! I knew you weren’t asleep! I can always tell by your breath when you play possum. I always know when you boys are lying. Now why don’t you just own up, and tell me where you spent all those days? If it was perfectly honorable and decent, why so secret? Do you think I won’t find out? Do you think it won’t come home to roost? There’s something else I want to know. We’re going to have less secrecy around here. Are you in secret communication with Berry-berry?”

“No.”

“Clinton. Do you love your family?”

“Yes.”

“So does Berry-berry, loves us to pieces. I don’t doubt that by an eyelash. Are you getting up or not?”

“I can’t while you’re standing there.”

She started walking toward the door. “Berry-berry always slept without his bottoms, too. I don’t know why. I couldn’t sleep a wink if I thought my . . .”

“If you thought your what?”

“Smart!”

“You want me to get up?”

“Look here, mister star boarder. You haven’t gotten away with a thing. You’ve got some questions to answer, so don’t think you can rest on your laurels.”