Saucer in the Dunes

14. Fidget Found!

I thought about how to find Ronnie's dog all the way home. I hated it for him. That little dog seemed to mean so much to him, and it was obvious to me that he really didn't have too much in the way of stuff. I mean, he was really the first poor kid I had ever known. His mom was nice, though, and he was nice. He just didn't have all the stuff that most of my friends back in Atlanta had or that I had. I felt terrible for him. He wasn't anything like Mr. Flossy, who would come around every so often and wash the windows and do odd jobs around the old neighborhood. Billy Preston's father said Mr. Flossy was a no-good wino who lived in the poor house. I never saw where his poor house was but figured it couldn't be too bad since he seemed to know how to fix things. Mom always made me call him Sir even though he didn't look or act like any of the adults any of us kids had ever seen.

Most of the other kids laughed at Mr. Flossy. But Mom told me it wouldn't kill us to be nice to him, at the very least show some respect like we would any other adult. She was disappointed, I could tell. However, what felt good was saying hello to Mr. Flossy the next time I saw him working. After a couple of more times, he even remembered my name. It felt good too, when a couple of the other fellows did the same thing just because I did. Mom was right; it didn't kill me. It felt good.

That's about all I know about being really poor. I don't guess it matters. I don't think it is supposed to matter. I do know it would be hard to lose a pet, no matter how rich or poor you are. Pets are friends, and no one ever wants to lose a friend.

I was tired from swimming and from staying up practically the whole night before. After dinner, I had to take out the trash. I sat in the den with dad and tried reading the comic books he picked up for me, but I was even too tired for that. I kept dozing off. Exhausted physically and mentally, I lay in my own bed and stared at the ceiling, almost too tired to sleep. My thoughts mulled over the events and conversations of the previous days and ultimately ended up on Ronnie. Everyone needs a best friend, and I felt like he was mine, even after only a few days.

I could hear my mom and dad conversing over the television. They always argued a little when the news was on. Mom could only take so much of my father's politics, and she didn't mind standing her ground. Soon they would be asleep too, and our new house would be quiet.

The show I had been waiting all day for finally came on, Dynamite Don! I lay in the dark listening as he introduced himself and gave out the station phone numbers for callers. Then after going through the day's news, he started talking about the crash of the saucer! Only every time he said it was a military plane crash, he first said "air quotes."

He would have some scientist on in a little while by telephone. I really wanted to hear it, too but knew I would probably fall asleep. I stuffed both pillows behind my head to sit up a little. It didn't work, though.

I had probably only been asleep for a little while when I heard my name called out in the darkness. My eyes opened. The house was quiet except for the slight hum of the refrigerator I could hear even from my room. The radio was still on, and Don was still talking. I lay there wondering if it had been a dream, then I heard it again, raspy and forced like a loud whisper.

"Kurtis, come here."

I jumped at the unexpected sight. Outside my window, Ronnie pressed his face against the screen and whispered once more.