Finally, Charlie hopped to a pay phone to charge a call to Samantha. “Honey, are you there? It’s me. I’m hurt.” When she didn’t answer he hung up and called the operator for Frankie’s home number.

“Hello,” Frankie picked up, expecting that it was some middle-of-the night crisis about her father.

“Francesca, it’s me, Charlie Acton. I need help.”

“What?” Frankie sat up.

“I, uh, just stepped on some glass and my foot is bleeding and I just got mugged on Park Avenue and I have no money.”

“Charlie?”

“I’m not going to a fucking emergency room. You’ve got to help me.”

“Charlie, get in a cab and I’ll meet you in front of my office—1205 Fifth Avenue. A hundred and second and Fifth.”

“You’re a doll.”

“Charlie, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

At least three taxis sped by Charlie as soon as they noticed he was barefoot and bleeding. Charlie took his jacket and dangled it in front of him in order to conceal his injury. When a cab finally stopped, Charlie gave the address and said, “Someone will be waiting for me.”

“I’ve heard that before.” The taxi driver looked in the back mirror and spoke in a mixture of Brooklynese and Hindi.

“I promise you’ll get your fare,” Charlie answered.

Frankie was waiting in front of her office when Charlie got there, and she paid the taxi driver.

“Mister, you’re lucky you’ve got such a nice wife. I wish I had someone who’d pick me up after I’d been out all night.” The cabbie looked Frankie over.

“Good night.” Frankie handed the driver the money and put her arm around Charlie. “Come on inside, Charlie.”

“I owe you one for this, Francesca.”

“Do you want me to call Samantha?”

“No. Just take care of this please. Fuckin’ Park Avenue mugger made me take off my shoes.”

“This is why I never spend money on shoes.” Frankie smiled.

“He didn’t want my shoes, honey. He just didn’t want me to run after him.” He grabbed his foot. “Oh Christ, this hurts.”

“Come on. I’ll take care of it.”

Frankie brought Charlie into exam room five.

“Sit up here.” Frankie washed her hands and came back to the examining table. “Now give me your foot.”

Charlie put his foot in Frankie’s hand and picked up Go Away, Big Green Monster! “Can I read this while you do it?”

“If you want. This is gonna hurt a little.” Frankie took a few instruments from her drawer and sprayed Charlie’s foot with an antiseptic.

Charlie began reading. “Go away, Big Green Monster, and don’t come back until I say so—Christ, that hurts!”

“You got a big slice in there.” Frankie sat down on the stool across from the examining table. “Maybe we should go to a hospital.”