“See? Look here.” He pointed to the neck. “His head is held on by a ball-and-socket joint. It just popped off—watch.” Then the Schwa snapped Manny’s head back on as if it were a giant Barbie. I was both relieved and disappointed. It was good to know my dad’s work was successful, but upsetting to know that I couldn’t destroy it.

“So what do we do to him next?” Howie asked.

“Pyrotechnics,” said Ira. “We try to blow him up.”

“Can I come, too?” asked the Schwa.

“Yeah, sure, why not?” I turned to him, but he’s gone. “Hey, where’d ya go?”

“I’m right here.”

I squinted to get the sun out of my eyes, and I saw him. He’s waving his hands, like to get my attention or something.

“I don’t know,” said Ira. “You know what they say about too many cooks.”

“No, what?” asks Howie.

“You know—too many cooks stink up the kitchen.”

Howie still looks confused. “What, don’t these cooks know from deodorant?”

“It’s an expression, Howie,” I explained. Howie, you gotta understand, ain’t dumb. He just doesn’t think out of the box. Of course, if I ever told him that, he’d wonder what box I was talking about. He’s the kinda guy who’s hardwired to take everything literally. Which is why he’s so good at math and science, but when it comes to anything creative—he tanks. He’s about as creative as a bar code. Even when he was little, he would do real good at coloring when there were nice thick black lines in the coloring book—but give him some crayons and a blank page, and his forehead would start to bleed. So, anyways, by a two-to-one vote the Schwa is allowed to join us in our next attempt to bust Manny. Ira voted no, but he wouldn’t look at any of us when he did.

“So what’s up with you?” I asked him.

“It’s my opinion. I got a right to an opinion.”

“Okay, okay, don’t get so touchy.”

With Ira suddenly unsociable, the Schwa decided to leave rather than make any further waves.

“See you in science,” he said.

Only after he’s gone does Ira pull me aside and say, “I wish I would’ve gotten that on film.”

“Gotten what on film?”

“Remember a second ago when you asked the Schwa where he went, and he practically had to jump up and down to get your attention?”

“Yeah?”

“He was standing right in front of you all along.”

I waved my hand like I’m shooing away a fly. “What are you talking about? He moved behind me. That’s why I couldn’t see him.”

But Howie shook his head. “He never moved, Antsy.”

I scowled at them like this is some conspiracy to make me look stupid.