“She’d have to get a prescription.” Stuart did not enjoy Mandy when she was high. Annoying didn’t even begin to describe it. She liked to wedge herself into tight spaces where she felt safe and give orders from there: “Are there any lemons? Can someone make me some fresh-squeezed lemonade? In a bowl. Please?” But it was worth a try.

“New York State is impossible for that sort of shit though. Red tape like crazy. People die of cancer and AIDS before they get their prescriptions. I know someone who can fix you up. Doctor to the stars, or so I’m told. Music connection. He makes house calls and everything. Just tell him what you need and he’ll hook you up. Dr. Mellow. That’s not his name, but it’s something like that. And I don’t think he’s an actual doctor, more like a nurse.”

“A nurse? I know a nurse.” Stuart’s mind so easily diverted to Peaches. Maybe she could actually help. How perfect that he’d just been in to see her about the lice. And he’d told her about Mandy. Going in to ask her about this wouldn’t seem too random. He just had to loosen up his balls and do it.

“Gotta pick up the kid. I’ll let you know if I need that guy’s info,” he told Robbie distractedly, already standing up and shoving his MetroCard, wallet, and keys back into his pockets. He could surprise Ted by meeting him in the schoolyard when school let out. Ted could play four square with his classmates while Stuart asked Peaches about pot. He’d much rather buy it from Peaches than from some sketchy fake doctor. Not that she was selling it, but she probably knew where to get it.

Roy’s mobile phone bleated as soon as he and Shy got home from the movie and she’d retreated to her room. Shy had put his phone on “goat” for when he received texts. Roy meant to ask her how to personalize the noises for each contact. He wanted the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” to play whenever this particular person texted or rang, because of all the lonely people Roy had ever encountered, Tupper Paulsen was the loneliest.

Thanks for feeding the cat. He seems happy.

Well, at least the cat was alive. Roy had only fed it the one time, two days ago. He was supposed to go back again yesterday and today, but he couldn’t face it.

Tupper had approached him on the street. He seemed a bit desperate.