Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Soon Dink and Josh could follow Ruth Rose across her backyard without falling. "You guys learned fast," she said. "Why don't we ski to the fitness center? We can show Josh's picture around in the bowling alley." The kids skied around the school. Pal bounded after them, leaping high in the snow.

When they reached Main Street, they waited for a snowplow to pass, then skied across to the other side. They stopped near the corner of Bridge Lane and Main. A man carrying a heavy-looking satchel and a pair of snowshoes came out of the fitness center. The man smiled at the kids. "Nice day to be out in the snow," he said. "We just learned how to ski," Josh said. The man flopped his snowshoes onto the snowy sidewalk and tried to strap them onto his boots with one hand. "Can I hold your bag for you?" Dink asked. "Thanks," the man said. "Don't drop it on your toe, it's my bowling ball." "Do you belong to a bowling team?" Josh asked. "Yep. I bowl with the Green Lawn Giants," he said. "Why, you thinking of joining a kids' league?" "No, but we were wondering if you know this guy." Josh pulled out his drawing of Joe and showed it to the man.

"Hmmm," the man said, studying the picture. "He's not on our team, but he looks familiar." "His name is Joe," Ruth Rose said. The man shook his head and clicked his tongue. "I'm pretty sure I've seen this face before," he said. "Why don't you ask inside?" "Thanks, we will," Dink said. The man finished strapping on his snowshoes and took back his bowling bag. "Thanks for your help," he said, then clomped down Main Street. The kids brushed the snow off a bench and sat to remove their skis. They carried the skis and poles into the fitness center and walked down a set of stairs. Pal trotted right behind them. Two long bowling lanes took up most of the basement. A bunch of men and women were bowling. Some of them wore shirts with names over the pockets. There was a cart in one corner where a woman sold hot dogs and sodas. Josh and Pal stopped and stared at the cart. "Why don't we get some lunch?" Josh asked. "We ate lunch, remember?" Dink said, glancing around. "Do you see Joe anywhere?" Ruth Rose asked.

Dink shook his head. Not one of the men looked like Josh's sketch. "Let's ask if anyone knows him," Josh said. The kids leaned their skis and poles in a corner and left Pal in charge. They began showing Josh's picture to anyone who wasn't bowling. A few people said Joe looked like someone they'd seen. One woman said Joe resembled her husband, George. A man said Joe had a face like a bank robber he'd seen on a MOST WANTED sign at the post office. But no one said they knew Joe. "Well, that was a big waste of time," Josh muttered. On the way out of the basement, the kids passed the hot dog stand. Josh unfolded his drawing. "Have you seen this guy?" he asked the woman. She laughed. "Are you trying to be cute with me, sonny boy?" "What do you mean?" Josh asked. "I mean," the woman said, tapping the drawing with one finger, "this is a picture of you, only older."

The kids took a closer look at the sketch. "She's right!" Ruth Rose said. "It does look like Josh, except for the mustache." "That's why everyone said this guy looks familiar," Dink said. "He looks just like you!" Josh stared at his drawing. "So there is no Joe?" The woman behind the cart had been listening. "Sounds like you've been sent on a wild-goose chase," she said. "But why would Dot have us looking for some guy who isn't even real?" Josh asked. "I don't get it." Dink shrugged. "I don't, either," he said. "Why don't we ask her? The supermarket is right across the street."