“Terrific job, fellas, Real different.” Gerry’s father came up to the gazebo steps, his box camera hanging around his neck. He wore baggy plaid shorts, black socks, and scuffed loafers. He shook Leo’s hand, then Jim’s and Ryder’s as they walked by carrying their microphone stands back to the car. Leo ripped the last of the tape from the wires.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Mr. P. I only started playing this summer.”

“Why sure, but I meant your enlistment. I’m going to dash off a memo to Stick tonight.” He shook his head and smiled. “You and Ger on rival teams, boy he’ll get a charge out of that. Well listen, good luck in basic. Come see us before you get stationed and we’ll have you and your dad over for dinner.”

Leo watched Mr. Poitras walk back to Betty and Ruth, who were standing waiting with their basket and folded blanket. Betty smiled hard at Leo and waved. Ruth looked like she was going to but she didn’t. Her face had gotten longer this summer, her hair too.

Leo stepped off the gazebo and was feeding the wire coil back between two railing spindles when three motorcycles roared out of Beatrice’s lot. He saw Billy Burrell near the fence talking to Chick and his wife. Chick was smiling and nodding his head, listening. Burrell’s friend stood off to the side in his light blue jacket, his hands crossed in front of him. Chick offered Billy his good hand and Billy shook it.

The sky was purple and the lot was full of crisscrossing headlights as half a dozen cars pulled away and out onto Paper Boulevard. Chick’s flatbed drove around behind Beatrice’s and pulled up to Chick and Mrs. Donovan. Christopher poked his head out the passenger window laughing. He opened and shut his hand down at Chick who reached up and tried to touch it. Allie said something to her mother, then she put the truck in gear and drove off past the green for the bridge. Leo watched her go and he felt silly standing there in his harp harness.

“That was a solid show.” Jim walked by and got his guitar stool from the gazebo. Leo looked away from the road. He began coiling the wire again, walking back toward the cars.

“Ryder’s gal wants to celebrate back at the house, but I told her that’s up to you; you’re the one with the early reveille.”

Leo said it was okay with him, and his father stopped to talk with a big man and woman, both in coveralls. The street lamps on Paper Boulevard were on, so were the lights of the Fremont Theater. Lars was loading the generator into the trunk of his car, and Ryder and Helena were kissing against the Valiant. Ryder was leaning back with his boots crossed, his hat low, his fingers interlocked together at Helena’s waist. They were both giggling about something. Leo could smell popcorn, and the gas from the generator. He hadn’t expected Chick and his wife to just go off like that. He thought for sure Chick would wheel up to him and say something about the show, or at least the army, even though Leo knew it wouldn’t be good.