Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 Chet scrubbed himself off in the creek and went back to Uncle Jerry's cottage. It was too hot to be inside, so he sat on the porch. He sat there a long time. He wondered what Mama and Papa were doing. He pictured Mama, with her soft smile and laughing eyes. And Papa, who always woke up with a happy face, even when they were out of money and had to pack up to start all over again.

Why had they left him here? He was so deep in his gloomy thoughts that at first he didn't see Uncle Jerry hurrying up the walk. "There you are!" he said, catching his breath. He sat down next to Chet. "I thought you were going to be at the diner all day," Chet said. "I was," Uncle Jerry said, fishing in his pocket for his pipe. He struck his match on the floor, lit the pipe, took a few puffs, and then settled back. They didn't say anything for a few minutes. "So there was some excitement at the creek, I hear," Uncle Jerry said. Chet's heart sank into his boots. "Poor Dewey came running down Main Street in his drawers," Uncle Jerry continued. "He was screaming about the Creek Devil. His mama called Dr. Jay." Chet sighed. He didn't look at Uncle Jerry. He'd probably already sent a telegram to Mama and Papa, and was getting ready to ship Chet directly to California. Chet couldn't wait to start packing. "I went too far," Chet said.

"I guess you did," Uncle Jerry said. Chet took a deep breath. A spider scurried across the floor and disappeared into one of the cracks. Lucky spider. There was a strange sound. Chet looked at Uncle Jerry, whose face was beet red. Was he choking on his pipe smoke? No. He was laughing! His laughter exploded through the air. He pounded his chest a few times. "Sorry," he said through his guffaws. "But that look on Dewey's face…" He leaned forward, slapping his leg, shaking his head. "It was a good one," Uncle Jerry sputtered. "Maybe a little too gruesome. But darned good." Chet wanted to laugh along with Uncle Jerry. But he kept thinking of that furious look on Sid's face when Chet came out of the water. Monty was right. Chet wasn't worth it. He wasn't even worth a punch in the nose. He had ruined everything! Tears ran down his face. He turned away from Uncle Jerry, but it was too late. Uncle Jerry stopped laughing and put his hand on Chet's shoulder. He waited for Chet to stop crying.

What a fool he was, blubbering like this! Over a stupid prank. "It's all right," Uncle Jerry said. "No," Chet said, standing up. "I need to leave." "Where are you going?" Uncle Jerry said. "To California," Chet said. Uncle Jerry stared at him. "I don't belong here," Chet said. "The heck you don't!" Uncle Jerry said. "You belong here. Like I knew you would. Why do you think I begged your mama to let you stay with me?" "But I thought Mama asked you," Chet said. "Are you kidding? I've been begging for years. I wrote about a hundred letters, a few telegrams too." "Why?" Chet said. Uncle Jerry looked at Chet like he'd asked for the answer to two plus two. "I thought maybe you were tired of moving around so much," Uncle Jerry said, pulling Chet back down to sit next to him on the porch step. "And there's another reason. You and I are

buddies, kiddo. Always were. I was lonely without you all these years." Chet almost laughed. With all the people who loved Uncle Jerry, who crowded around him every day at the diner, who laughed at his jokes and listened to his stories, how could he be lonely? Yet Uncle Jerry's eyes, usually all crinkled up and merry, were big and serious. He meant it. "Did I ever tell you what happened after I hurt my leg?" Uncle Jerry said. "I moved to New York City. I quit this town. I just wanted to get lost. I couldn't stand the way people looked at me here, like they pitied me. Or like I'd let them down by not becoming a big baseball star." "Mama never told me that," Chet said. "Well it's true. But you know what? I missed this place. And I'll tell you what I learned: A person has to face up to things. You never solve anything by running away." Chet knew Uncle Jerry was right. But how could Chet stay here with the guys hating him so much? Uncle Jerry seemed to read his thoughts. "You'll find a way to make it up to those friends

of yours," he said. "I know you will."