“Hi,” Carter said brightly. “You still mad at me, Erin?”

Erin tilted her head to Carter, like a long-necked bird inspecting an insect. She shook her head timidly.

“Hi,” I said weakly.

“Well, boys, what’s it to be?” Harry said in a loud voice. “A movie? A little stroll under the moon, maybe? Yes? Why don’t you make the start down at Arch’s? I told him you’d be there, to put whatever you wanted on my bill.”

“Uh, I—I think we’d better get on to the movie,” I said.

“So, what’s the hurry?” Harry replied in a firm voice. “No, no, Bobo. The girls love Arch’s. There, first.”

“Suits me,” Carter said flippantly. “Come on, Erin, why don’t you go with me? I owe you.”

“Sure,” Erin said in a small voice. She stepped off the porch to stand with Carter.

“And that leaves lovely Charlotte with Bobo,” Harry said proudly. He pushed at his niece. She moved hesitantly toward me.

“Have fun,” Harry crowed. He wiggled his finger at her. “No hanky-panky, boys.”

Carter coughed down a laugh.

“No, sir,” I promised emphatically.

We began the long, tortuous walk to Arch’s.

I saw Avrum on his bench. His head was tilted back and his eyes were closed and he was not aware of us. I wondered if he was listening to the ghost-voice of Amelita Galli-Curci, or if he was faking a nap.

Ben Benton was waiting to turn into the side yard of the Inn for his garbage pickup. He looked at me in astonishment, then shouted from the window, “Hey, Bobo, finally found you a woman, did you?” He ducked his head in laughter.

Mrs. Mendelson, slow-stepping up the sidewalk, paused and smiled. “Gut, gut,” she squeaked.

We walked into Arch’s. It was early and only a few people were there. One of them was Amy. She was sitting alone in a back booth, writing a letter.

Carter called to her, “Hey, Amy.”

She looked up, first to Carter, then to me. She saw the girls and a shudder of surprise touched on her face. She tried to smile, but the smile faded quickly. She got up and walked past us and out of Arch’s. She did not speak.

“Look, girls, why don’t you grab that booth back there?” Carter said. “We’ll get some Cokes and be right there with you.”

The girls dipped their heads in agreement and walked away. Carter whispered, “I think you just screwed up, Bobo.”

“What?”

“With Amy. She was pissed. I could tell.”

“Why?”

“I was wrong, Bobo. I hate to say it, but I was,” Carter sighed. “She’s got a thing for you.”

“Me?”

We were at the counter of the soda fountain. Carter said to Jeannie Ellis, who was Arch’s daughter and occasional counter girl, “Four Cokes, Jeannie, and a pack of Marlboros. Put it on Harry Burger’s bill.”