David

A meeting was arranged for the following evening and before leaving the house I begged my father to change his clothes. He'd been building in addition to the carport and wore a pair of khaki shorts smeared with paint and spotted here and there with bits of dried concrete. Through a hole in his tattered t-shirt, without squinting, it was possible to see his nipple.

A meeting was arranged for the following evening and before leaving the house I begged my father to change his clothes. He'd been building in addition to the carport and wore a pair of khaki shorts smeared with paint and spotted here and there with bits of dried concrete. Through a hole in his tattered t-shirt, without squinting, it was possible to see his nipple.

What the hell is wrong with this, he asked. We're not staying for dinner, so what does it matter? I yelled for my mother, and in the end, he compromised by changing his shirt. From the outside, Thad's house didn't look much different than anyone else's, just a standard split level with what my father described as a totally inadequate carport.

What the hell is wrong with this, he asked. We're not staying for dinner, so what does it matter? I yelled for my mother, and in the end, he compromised by changing his shirt. From the outside, Thad's house didn't look much different than anyone else's, just a standard split level with what my father described as a totally inadequate carport.

Mr. Pope answered the door in a pair of sherbet-colored golf pants and led us downstairs into what he called the rumpus room. Oh, I said, this is nice. The room was damp and windowless and lit with hanging Tiffany lampshades. The shards of colorful glass arranged to spell the words Bush and Budweiser.

Mr. Pope answered the door in a pair of sherbet-colored golf pants and led us downstairs into what he called the rumpus room. Oh, I said, this is nice. The room was damp and windowless and lit with hanging Tiffany lampshades. The shards of colorful glass arranged to spell the words Bush and Budweiser.

Walls were paneled and the furniture looked as though it had been hand-hewn by settlers who'd reconfigured parts of their beloved Conestoga wagon to fashion such things as easy chairs and coffee tables. He directed us towards a sofa and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Coke? A beer?

Walls were paneled and the furniture looked as though it had been hand-hewn by settlers who'd reconfigured parts of their beloved Conestoga wagon to fashion such things as easy chairs and coffee tables. He directed us towards a sofa and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Coke? A beer?

I didn't want to deplete Thad's precious cola supply, but before I could refuse, my father said, sure, we'd have one of each.

I didn't want to deplete Thad's precious cola supply, but before I could refuse, my father said, sure, we'd have one of each.

The orders were called up the stairway, and a few minutes later, Mrs. Pope entered the room, carrying cans and plastic tumblers, and as she set the drinks before us, I noticed that her son had inherited her blunt, slightly upturned nose, which looked good on him, but caused her to appear overly suspicious and judgmental. So, she said, I hear you've been to the dentist.

The orders were called up the stairway, and a few minutes later, Mrs. Pope entered the room, carrying cans and plastic tumblers, and as she set the drinks before us, I noticed that her son had inherited her blunt, slightly upturned nose, which looked good on him, but caused her to appear overly suspicious and judgmental. So, she said, I hear you've been to the dentist.

She was just trying to make small talk, but due to her nose, it came off sounding like an insult, as if I just had a tooth filled and was now looking for someone to pay the bill. I'll say he's been to the dentist, my father said. Someone hits you in the mouth with a rock, and I'd say the dentist's office is pretty much the first place a reasonable person would go. Mr. Pope held up his hands.

She was just trying to make small talk, but due to her nose, it came off sounding like an insult, as if I just had a tooth filled and was now looking for someone to pay the bill. I'll say he's been to the dentist, my father said. Someone hits you in the mouth with a rock, and I'd say the dentist's office is pretty much the first place a reasonable person would go. Mr. Pope held up his hands.

Whoa now, he said. Let's just calm things down a little. He yelled upstairs for his son, and when there was no answer, he picked up the phone, telling Thad to stop running his mouth and get his butt down to the rumpus room, ASAP. A rush of footsteps on the carpeted staircase, and then Thad sprinted in, all smiles and apologies. The minister had called. The game had been rescheduled.

Whoa now, he said. Let's just calm things down a little. He yelled upstairs for his son, and when there was no answer, he picked up the phone, telling Thad to stop running his mouth and get his butt down to the rumpus room, ASAP. A rush of footsteps on the carpeted staircase, and then Thad sprinted in, all smiles and apologies. The minister had called. The game had been rescheduled.

Hello, sir, and you are? He looked my father in the eye and firmly shook his hand, holding it in his own for just the right amount of time. With others our age, the gesture appeared forced and sloppy, but Thad seemed born to it. While most handshakes mumbled, his clearly spoke, saying both, we'll get through this, and I'm looking forward to your vote this coming November.

Hello, sir, and you are? He looked my father in the eye and firmly shook his hand, holding it in his own for just the right amount of time. With others our age, the gesture appeared forced and sloppy, but Thad seemed born to it. While most handshakes mumbled, his clearly spoke, saying both, we'll get through this, and I'm looking forward to your vote this coming November.

I thought that seeing him without his group might be unsettling, like finding a single arm on the sidewalk. But Thad was fully capable of operating independently. Watching him in action, I understood that his popularity was not an accident. Unlike a normal human, he possessed an uncanny and wholly natural ability to please people.

I thought that seeing him without his group might be unsettling, like finding a single arm on the sidewalk. But Thad was fully capable of operating independently. Watching him in action, I understood that his popularity was not an accident. Unlike a normal human, he possessed an uncanny and wholly natural ability to please people.