In fact, I might have gone to the bar, the day was so disarranged already, but at that moment I saw Perley across the street, leaning hard against the fence. He waved at us as if he were adrift in an open boat, our truck the only airplane in a barren sky. We went right over.

“You want some coffee?” asked Rudy, holding his cup up to the fence.

“It might stunt my growth,” said Perley.

“Old wives’ tales,” said Rudy.

“Mama K and Mama L said I shouldn’t bother you, but can I ask you one question?” Perley said.

“Ask us anything you want, we’ve nothing to hide,” Rudy said.

“Hold on,” I said. “You can ask me one question if I can ask you one question, too.”

“What’s jail like?” asked Perley, his fingers curling around the chain link.

“Nothing to brag about,” I said.

“Cold, no private place to pee, bad food,” Rudy said. “But pretty much everyone else in there had it worse than us.” Perley nodded.

“My turn to ask a question,” I said.

“Okay, but only one,” Perley said.

“How is it really going here?” I asked. “I mean at school.”

“I told you it’s fine,” he said.

“Cut the bullshit,” I said. “What’s up with that little asshole Bexley Epps?”

Perley looked startled. “How did you know?” he asked.

“Adult omniscience,” I said.

“He calls me names,” Perley said. “I just can’t seem to mix in that good. Don’t tell Mama L and Mama K.”

“I’ve got an idea for your community service, Rudy,” I said.

“If you mean me teaching that little Epps punk a lesson, I don’t think the sheriff’s office will sign off on it,” Rudy said.

“Pick Perley up from school a few days a week with all the chain saws in the back of the truck,” I said. “Let the kids see him with you. Might just help matters. What do you think, Perley?”

“Won’t count as community service,” Rudy said.

“Go to the school office, they’ve got volunteer opportunities, mentoring shit, they always do. Sign up and make it official,” I said. “It’ll be like an internship.”

“An internship with a man,” Perley said. Rudy laughed and Perley joined in, his first real laugh since the school bus doors had closed behind him.

Karen waited until Perley was asleep before turning on me. Lily fretted beside her.

“Man internship? With Rudy?” Karen said. “So now being a man means someone who can’t stay out of jail or stay sober?”

“I just think you should consider exposing Perley to a positive male role model,” I said.

“Where do you pick this shit up?” asked Karen. “Positive male role model? Internship? Best practices? Is everyone like this where you come from? You think we’re a fucking nonprofit out here? Anyway, you don’t think that Rudy is a positive male role model.”