Reconnect? What was she talking about? We hadn’t connected in a year. But I nodded at her. “Sure,” I said as I pushed on the screen door and stepped outside. I liked sushi.

And moments later, dinner was the farthest thing from my mind as Jasper appeared from behind the azaleas, and together we ran down the street, racing for the park.

We arrived just as the pool was opening. A few old men were there already at the gate, looking very serious in their swim trunks, and probably planning to hog the pool for lap swim. Then there was a whole crew of moms with little kids waiting. A few dads too. They had huge picnic baskets and folding chairs, and I knew they’d stay all day, the parents talking to each other and the kids peeing in the splash pad and falling over and crying. Jasper and I hung back and let the crowd go ahead of us.

But at last the line was gone and it was our turn. We darted inside, pulled on our suits, took a two-second obligatory shower just inside the gate, and then ran to spread out our towels in the shadiest spot we could find, which was unfortunately close to a massive trash can.

“What a view!” said Jasper, nodding at the garbage. “With any luck we’ll have flies in a few minutes. Maybe bees too!”

“I know, but I promise, by noon we’ll be glad for a spot under the tree,” I said. “I know what I’m talking about.”

“If you say so,” said Jasper.

“I do,” I said, and sank down on my towel.

Suddenly, I heard someone calling my name. A grown-up voice. I turned around. “Leah Davidson!” called out Mrs. Hanson, waving as she walked our way. She was wearing a flowered swimsuit with a ruffled skirt and clutching a squirming baby in a floppy hat. The baby did not look happy about the hat.

“Hi,” I said, standing up. “How are you and, umm . . . her?” I couldn’t remember the baby’s name.

“We’re fine,” Mrs. Hanson said. “Mostly, anyway. The baby isn’t sleeping terribly well. And she has a funny rash. But that’s sure to go away, I suppose.”

I didn’t know the first thing about rashes, so I just nodded and said, “Sure! Umm, hey, Mrs. Hanson, this is my new friend, Jasper. Jasper, this is Mrs. Hanson. She teaches first grade.”

“Lovely to meet you,” said Mrs. Hanson distractedly. The baby was chewing on her hat string. “Any friend of Leah’s . . .”

Jasper grinned. “What was Leah like in first grade? Did she eat too much paste?”

“Oh!” said Mrs. Hanson. “I didn’t have Leah in my . . . well, that is to say . . . she had another teacher. I, umm . . . I had her . . .”