Fo wah, fo wah, fo wah …

The “see you” note was higher, and when Leo felt its air vibrate against his tongue, he thought girl, woman. The “for what” note was low, a man’s no matter how you look at it, his low persistent question asking what for to the woman’s see you, see you, see you later.

Leo kept playing, staring at a small crater in the plaster ceiling. He found more notes. When he relaxed his lips and covered three or four holes, working his free hand back and forth, he heard a whole family of voices, a neighborhood of “Oh she’s leavin’, she sure is. Oh she’s leavin’, she sure is.” He moved back down to the first note, pursing his lips again, using his hands and blowing out For what? For what? For what? Then he slid his lips right up to See you, see you, bye bye. The “bye bye” note was the highest and it sounded more like why then bye, but it was a nice cap to everything and Leo thought bye was a cleaner way to end it.

6

It didn’t hit him until he had taken a shower and dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a white button-down shirt that he had just played an original harp tune for the first time, not the harmonica anymore and not yet The Harp of the Blues, but he had definitely touched harpness. And he felt different. He felt okay, which meant he was either feeling truly wonderful, or else had been feeling bad and wasn’t anymore so he felt good, which was really just normal but better than before.

Then Allie pulled up in her mother’s black Star Chief. Leo glanced at the wall clock. It was still a half an hour before six. He watched her through the kitchen window as she looked out at the house, then checked her face in the rearview mirror. She opened the door and slid off the seat, her cotton skirt catching itself halfway up her long thighs. She had sandals on and instead of a T-shirt she wore a white blouse with a low neckline and puff sleeves. The sun was down behind the hill. Her hair hung thick and loose around her shoulders and in that light looked like it almost gave off its own. Leo pushed open the screen door with his foot. “Your mom lets you take her wheels?”

Allied smiled and whispered, “Is your father home?”

“Nope.”

“Shucks, I dressed up to meet him.”

“How’d you find my house?”

She stepped closer, slid her arms around his neck, and touched her nose to his. “Gerry told me down at the UFO. I couldn’t wait.” She flicked her tongue inside his mouth. Leo’s hand fell and grazed her bottom. It was round and firm, but soft too. When they pulled away Allie kissed his chin. “Show me your room.”