“No sir, I should be but I started kindergarten a year late, after my mom died.” Leo reached for a glass and sipped what he thought would be tea but was instead apple cider and his mouth was so surprised he didn’t swallow at first and now his cheeks were flushed and he had no idea why he just offered such a personal piece of history to Allie Donovan’s parents.

“Wow, Leo, I didn’t know that.” Allie’s fingertips touched his knee.

He swallowed the cider and shook his head. “No, I was a little kid, I hardly remember her.”

“How did you get hooked into blues music?” Mr. Donovan was looking at him like he was surprised he was truly interested in what sat on his couch next to his daughter and wife.

“My dad plays it, sir.”

“Call me Chick.”

“Yes sir, I mean Chick.”

Allie’s mother laughed. Leo let himself smile, then, to somehow balance what he just said, he added: “He plays the guitar, but I play the harmonica myself.”

“So you appreciate Negro culture.”

Leo nodded and sipped more cider.

“This civil rights struggle is just the beginning of things as I see it, as he sees it.” Chick nodded up at the portrait of the bearded man above the mantel. Leo glanced at Allie. She was staring at the empty glass she held in her lap.

“Have you got summer work yet?”

“I’ll probably get something at the mill, where my father works. You know, cleaning the trucks.”

“Full time?”

Leo shook his head. Chick Donovan drained his glass and stood up. “Well look, I need one strong kid for the summer to be an all-around laborer and helper. I was going to give Allison a “help wanted” sheet to post at the high school, but if you think you’re the man, why then well cut a deal tonight.”

“I can do it,” Leo heard himself say, though getting a job had occurred to him only vaguely and that was because Gerry had one.

“Super fine. I’ll pay you the minimum, a dollar and a quarter an hour, but you can count on cash; we don’t pay war taxes in this family. When does your vacation start?”

“This coming Monday.”

“Meet me here next Monday morning at seven.”

Leo took this as a sign for him to drink up and go. He stood and reached down past Allie to shake her mother’s hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Donovan.”

“Likewise, Leo.”

Allie stood and walked with Leo to the door where her father put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “Thanks for walking Allie Cat home. See you then.”

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