o　say　things

like　that　in　front　of　people　who　wouldn't　understand。〃

〃You　mean　like　Uncle　Al？〃

〃Yes；　that's　right。〃

〃Can　I　say　it　when　I'm　grown…up？〃

〃I　suppose　you　will；　whether　I　like　it　or　not。〃

〃How　old？〃

〃How　does　twenty　sound；　doc？〃

〃That's　a　long　time　to　have　to　wait。〃

〃I　guess　it　is；　but　will　you　try？〃

〃Hokay。〃

He　went　back　to　staring　up　the　street。　He　flexed　a　little；　as　if　to　rise；　but

the　beetle　ing　was　much　newer；　and　much　brighter　red。　He　relaxed　again。　She

wondered　just　how　hard　this　move　to　Colorado　had　been　on　Danny。　He　was

closemouthed　about　it；　but　it　bothered　her　to　see　him　spending　so　much　time　by

himself。　In　Vermont　three　of　Jack's　fellow　faculty　members　had　had　children

about　Danny's　age　—　and　there　had　been　the　preschool　—　but　in　this　neighborhood

there　was　no　one　for　him　to　play　with。　Most　of　the　apartments　were　occupied　by

students　attending　CU；　and　of　the　few　married　couples　here　on　Arapahoe　Street；

only　a　tiny　percentage　had　children。　She　had　spotted　perhaps　a　dozen　of　high

school　or　junior　high　school　age；　three　infants；　and　that　was　all。

〃Mommy；　why　did　Daddy　lose　his　job？〃

She　was　jolted　out　of　her　reverie　and　floundering　for　an　answer。　She　and　Jack

had　discussed　ways　they　might　handle　just　such　a　question　from　Danny；　ways　that

had　varied　from　evasion　to　the　plain　truth　with　no　varnish　on　it。　But　Danny　had

never　asked。　Not　until　now；　when　she　was　feeling　low　and　least　prepared　for　such

a　question。　Yet　he　was　looking　at　her；　maybe　reading　the　confusion　on　her　face

and　forming　his　own　ideas　about　that。　She　thought　that　to　children　adult　motives

and　ac