It's like this, cat

his all the time we're planning the vacation. Suppose the motel won't take cats? Or suppose he runs

zy. That'd drive Pop nuts in the car, and it certainly wouldn't hide him from any motel-keeper. So I just sit back

e vacation. He doesn't want any extra problems, especially not Cat problems. Mom's been having ast

ets home, I ask Pop wha

he says, which isn't what

can get back

make up the midyear exams he missed, so he can get credit for that semester. Then

rying to trace him. I don't think it'll do any good if they find him.

e kids on the other. Now here's my pop calmly figuring a kid better chalk off his father as a bad lot and go it alone. If your fat

to reading the paper. I notice the column of want ads on t

t in there a couple of weeks ago, because he had a sign up, 'Helper Wanted.' I thought maybe it was deliveries an

and scratches his head with them. He look

lso the shop is the polling place for our district, so Pop's in there every Election Day. He always buys some little bunc

ays, "Here. Address it to Tom and go mail it right away. Palumbo says he'll

th look pretty good. Mom has cold supper waiting, finishing

ght after Labor Day. Palumbo can use him on odd jobs and deliveries, especially o

ging." Tom grins. "But it might be fun. I

ocked the padlock to get Cat

we all say "good luck," "have a good time

ore Pop gets home in the afternoon. He hoped to get off early, and I've been pacing around snappin

t and put him behind a suitcase and hope he'll behave. Pop

f the city. But at least we're moving along, until we get out on t

nting for something to get sore about, and sees the back windows are closed. He

you try to hold him really, it makes him restless.

silence. Engines turn on ahead of us, and there seems to be some sign of hope. I stick my head out the

out on the parkway between the lanes of

. "Hold it! C

t my pop doe

alf an hour. I'd get murdered if I tried to stop now. Besid

ly barely moving. I can see Cat on the grass at the edge of the parkway. Th

m scream,

o way Pop can turn off. The cars are picking up speed. I holler to M

tion." I wonder if I'll be able to catch a bus out to Connecticut later. Meanwhile, there's the little problem of getting back into the city.

st tries harder. You have to keep juggling him, like, gently. I sweat along back, with the sun in

r than your head. What a place for a kids' hideout, I think. Almost t

ushes, where I can't see them. I hear one say, "Lookit the sissy

I walk along, juggling Cat, trying to pretend I don't notice them. I se

ding anymore. I flash a look over my shoulder. They all yell, "Ya-n-h

ut another war whoop. It's uphill to the bridge. Cat gets his free forepaw into action, raking my chest and arm, wi

op on the grass and ease up on Cat and start soothing him down. The kids fade off into the tall grass as

uints at me. "What you doing, kid

home," I tell him, and he saun

Manhattan and reach Kate's. I can hear the television going, which is unusual, and I

onto for two hours, and Pop starts bellowing: "You fool

ter and drink it all and wipe my mouth. Over my shoulder, I answer Pop: "Yeah, but if Ca

m, like he always does when he's thinking. He looks me in

himself. "Come on. You're one of th

t we'r