“But then they let him come back,” Jason said. “Like Jesus or E.T.” Jason loved that movie and he would sometimes reach his fingertip out to Harvey and say, “Phone home,” and that’s what Harvey said when Jason left to go to school—“Phone home”—and Jason took a pen and wrote his number inside Harvey’s closet and drew a picture of E.T. so Harvey could call whenever he wanted to, but lately he just gets Jason saying he can’t talk, leave a message. Harvey says, “Phone home. There’s ghosts in the yard.”

Now, Harvey spends a lot of time watching the blackberry thicket between their yard and the new house, because this is where the ghosts go. “Don’t go out there,” Jason said. “Not without me.” Jason is like Leonardo. The fearless leader, serious and smart. Jason’s number is also written on the kitchen wall, right beside the phone. It is there beside everything else important to remember for when Harvey gets a ride and might be home too early: 911, never call unless an emergency; 411 will give you someone’s number if you know their name. He once got them mixed up and was trying to figure out how to call his mother at the courthouse and the person kept saying, “Where are you? Where are you?” And he knew not to tell about himself to a stranger and he didn’t know that person. His mother told him that. They said that at school. And the woman said, “Don’t go anywhere, little boy. Stay on the line.” And then in no time there were sirens and several policemen and of course there wasn’t an adult at home, which he was never supposed to say. He was supposed to say that his mother was in the shower and she will have to call right back. His mom said the best answer was to say his daddy was in the garage working on the car, could he call back soon, because people act different if a man is there, like working on a car or chopping wood.

He left Jason a message about the Dog House Girl and how he can’t stop thinking about her even though their mom tells him not to worry and then he told Jason how their mom cries sometimes and puts her head on the table like they make you do at school during quiet time. He told him how he’s having trouble eating hot dogs, and he loves hot dogs. Last time he told Jason that, Jason said, “Then eat pizza—that’s what Michelangelo would do. Pizza with lots of good junk on it.”