Local Hero

herself. She couldn’t stand here listing her regrets when she had obligations.
    As she carried the tray of drinks into the living room, two boys shot by her. Three more were wrestling on the floor, while the others shouted to be heard over the record player. Hester had already noted that one of Radley’s newest friends wore a silver earring and spoke knowledgeably about girls. She set the tray down and glanced quickly at the ceiling.
    Give me a few more years of comic books and Erector sets. Please, I’m just not ready for the rest of it yet.
    “Drink break,” she said out loud. “Michael, why don’t you let Ernie out of that headlock now and have some punch? Rad, set down the kitten. They get cranky if they’re handled too much.”
    With reluctance, Radley set the little bundle of black-and-white fur in a padded basket. “He’s really neat. I like him the best.” He snatched a drink off the tray as several other hands reached out. “I really like my watch, too.” He held it out, pushing a button that sent it from time mode to the first in a series of miniature video games.
    “Just make sure you don’t play with it when you should be paying attention in school.”
    Several boys groaned and elbowed Radley. Hester had just about convinced them to settle down with one of Radley’s board games when the knock sounded at the door.
    “I’ll get it!” Radley hopped up and raced for the door. He had one more birthday wish. When he opened the door, it came true. “Mitch! I knew you’d come. Mom said you’d probably gotten real busy, but I knew you’d come. I got a kitten. I named him Zark. Want to see?”
    “As soon as I get rid of some of these boxes.” Even arms as well toned as his were beginning to feel the strain. Mitch set them on the sofa and turned, only to have Zark’s namesake shoved into his hands. The kitten purred and arched under a stroking finger. “Cute. We’ll have to take him down and introduce him to Taz.”
    “Won’t Taz eat him?”
    “You’ve got to be kidding.” Mitch tucked the kitten under his arm and looked at Hester. “Hi.”
    “Hi.” He needed a shave, his sweater had a hole in the seam, and he looked wonderful. “We were afraid you wouldn’t make it.”
    “I said I’d be here.” Lazily he scratched between the kitten’s ears. “I keep my promises.”
    “I got this watch, too.” Radley held up his wrist. “It tells the time and the date and stuff, then you can play Dive Bomb and Scrimmage.”
    “Oh, yeah, Dive Bomb?” Mitch sat on the arm of the couch and watched Radley send the little dots spinning. “Never have to be bored on a long subway ride again, right?”
    “Or at the dentist’s office. You want to play?”
    “Later. I’m sorry I’m late. I got hung up in the store.”
    “That’s okay. We didn’t have the cake yet ’cause I wanted to wait. It’s chocolate.”
    “Great. Aren’t you going to ask for your present?”
    “I’m not supposed to.” He sneaked a look at his mother, who was busy keeping some of his friends from wrestling again. “Did you really get me something?”
    “Nah.” Laughing at Radley’s expression, he ruffled his hair. “Sure I did. It’s right there on the couch.”
    “Which one?”
    “All of them.”
    Radley’s eyes grew big as saucers. “All of them?”
    “They all sort of go together. Why don’t you open that one first?”
    Because of the lack of time and materials, Mitch hadn’t wrapped the boxes. He’d barely had enough forethought to put tape over the name brand and model, but buying presents for young boys was a new experience, and one he’d enjoyed immensely. Radley began to pry open the heavy cardboard with assistance from his more curious friends.
    “Wow, a PC.” Josh craned his head over Radley’s shoulder. “Robert Sawyer’s got one just like it. You can play all kinds of things on it.”
    “A computer.” Radley stared in amazement at the open box, then turned to Mitch. “Is it for me, really? To keep?”
    “Sure you can keep it—it’s a present. I was hoping you’d let me play with it sometime.”
    “You can play with it anytime, anytime you want.” He threw his arms around Mitch’s neck, forgetting to be embarrassed because his friends were watching. “Thanks. Can we hook it up right now?”
    “I thought you’d never ask.”
    “Rad, you’ll have to clear off the desk in your room. Hold it,” Hester added when a flood of young bodies started by. “That doesn’t