He saw me and stopped what he was doing which was twisting joe-pye weed into a knot like a secret.

He said, You’re that snakebite kid.

You’re that acorn kid, I said. And you can call me Friend of Snake.

You’re the new one come to stay with my grandma? he asked. Did they make you come stay because of that snakebite?

Did you make all this stuff? I asked.

What stuff? he asked.

The willow hideout and the stone tower and the arrowhead, I said.

You think I can make an arrowhead? asked Altemonte. He started twisting the joe-pye again. He said, Obviously an Indian made the arrowhead, probably a mound builder that used to live around here but vanished and no living person knows why.

Okay, I said, but did you dig it up and put it on that churned-up clay as a sign?

Maybe I did, Altemonte said. Or maybe it was someone else.

Who else? I asked.

Maybe it was me, said Altemonte. But then again, I’m pretty busy.

Me too, I said.

Busy how? asked Altemonte, and I said, I know Brazilian ninjutsu and I know how to get out of most police holds.

Really? asked Altemonte. Then how did they make you come here?

How come you’re an oppressed minority and your grandma isn’t? I asked.

Is it true what the other kids say that you’re retarded? asked Altemonte.

Where’s your mom? I asked Altemonte.

Where’s yours? asked Altemonte.

I asked you first, I said.

She’s working so she can send money home, said Altemonte, but I don’t care.

Your grandma said there’s a letter from her, I said. You better go inside and read it.

You think I want to read that letter, I don’t want to read it, you faggot bastard, he said. So I said, At least I’m not a mongrel. He looked at me like I was a science experiment and I just looked right back at him the same way, and neither of us cried, we just stood there looking. Sorry, I said. I’m sorry, too, he said.

It’s okay, I said, I actually am retarded maybe I think.

You’re probably just spastic which is slightly different than retarded, said Altemonte.

I’m totally problematic, I said. I don’t even have a dad.

Oh that, said Altemonte. You think those other kids have dads? Plenty of them don’t have dads. You’ve got two lezzies for moms which everyone knows is against god but my grandma says hate the sin not the sinner.

She’s the one takes care of you? I asked.