〃What are you thinking about？ You're thinking about something； probably no good。 It's in your face。〃
Lying was out of the question； it wasn't the way we were with each other。 I just told her it was best she not know； at least for the time being。
〃Is it 。。。 could it get you in trouble？〃 She didn't sound particularly alarmed at the idea … more interested than anything … which is one of the things I have always loved about her。
〃Maybe；〃 I said。
〃Is it a good thing？〃
〃Maybe；〃 I repeated。 I was standing there； still turning the phone's crank idly with one finger； while I held down the connecting points with a finger of my other hand。
〃Would you like me to leave you alone while you use the telephone？〃 she asked。 〃Be a good little woman and butt out？ Do some dishes？ Knit some booties？〃
I nodded。 〃That's not the way I'd put it； but…〃
〃Are we having extras for lunch； Paul？〃
〃I hope so；〃 I said。
9。
I got Brutal and Dean right away； because both of them were on the exchange。 Harry wasn't； not then； at least； but I had the number of his closest neighbor who was。 Harry called me back about twenty minutes later； highly embarrassed at having to reverse the charges and sputtering promises to 〃pay his share〃 when our next bill came。 I told him we'd count those chickens when they hatched； in the meantime； could he e over to my place for lunch？ Brutal and Dean would be here； and Janice had promised to put out some of her famous slaw 。。。 not to mention her even more famous apple pie。
〃Lunch just for the hell of it？〃 Harry sounded skeptical。
I admitted I had something I wanted to talk to them about； but it was best not gone into； even lightly； over the phone。 Harry agreed to e。 I dropped the receive