But he was patient with me those afternoons at Beaver Lake. He even high-fived me the first time I took off on my own, ankles askew, arms flailing. Mind you, there were often other kids and parents there. Plus he hadn’t given up on me yet—he figured I was headed straight for Junior A.

Outside MacTaggart’s, I lift Cassie down from the ATV. Once she’s standing in front of the glass case, staring at all the different candies, she’s not so sure about gummi bears. I wander around the store, wishing I was home in bed.

The third youngest Donovan, a weedy kid called Lucas, is ambling toward the counter, reading the label on a package of caramel chunk cookies. Automatically, I stick my foot out. Down he goes. The package breaks his fall.

“Jeez,” I say, “you okay, Lucas?”

He’s shaking the package, his face crumpled, and doesn’t answer.

Nothing much else in MacTaggart’s Store to tempt me. Along with not swearing, I don’t smoke or drink. Boring or what.

In her Audrey incarnation, Opal used to smoke. Now that she’s into lavender and chamomile, she can smell an unlit cigarette five houses down. Floyd has never smoked. Never touches booze, either. He likes being in control too much—that’s my theory.

Maybe it’s time to give you the Brick MacAvoy Behavioral Guidelines:

(1) Pick on kids smaller than you.

(2) In winter, spread it around: mall, playground, school bus. Leave Glenn Semple alone at school because he’s too popular and you’ll get it in the neck. The library is off limits.

(3) Always keep a low profile. You never want complaints to get back to Floyd.

(4) When extorting money, switch from kid to kid and keep the amounts small. Also, leave no visible bruises, scrapes, or scratches. See (3).

To summarize, be cautious, calculating, and pragmatic.

You may have noticed I hate Floyd using big words even though I do it myself all the time. Chip off the old block. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Okay, so I’ve wandered off topic.

I reach for the latest ATV magazine, which is when I notice a hand-printed sign pinned to the wall near the magazine rack.

SHINGLES NEED SCRAPING MUST BE GOOD ON LADDERS $100 CALL ROLF LANGILLE

Little tabs underneath with a phone number. Rolf Langille lives down the road from us. I tear off the first tab. I like the sound of $100—nice round number. My long-term plan to leave home next year, it’ll need money. I’ll take the bus from Hilchey Bay to Halifax, where I’ll finish high school. Board somewhere, find a part-time job. After that, I’ll leave Nova Scotia altogether.