The Lost Boy

idea what I did wrong.
    I didn’t have to strain my ears to listen. “... you’re supposed to be responsible when David’s with you. He’s just a baby. You’ve seen what he’s like.”
    “Come on now, Mom. He’s 12 years old. He does okay for himself. Besides, we didn’t do nothin’, ” Larry shot back. I still had no idea what Larry and I did wrong.
    “No? Then why has David’s mother, the Mother Superior, been on the phone with me all afternoon?”
    Uh oh,
I said to myself as I swallowed hard. From outside I heard the sound of a car door slam shut. I jumped to the window to see Rudy wave at me. I slumped back on my bed, waiting my turn.
    “
Mister
Pelzer … get your little butt in here, now!” Lilian yelled.
    In an instant I sprang up and ran into the kitchen. I knew I was in an interesting position. Even though I was in trouble, it wasn’t as though Mrs Catanze was going to beat me. As I entered the kitchen, I became anxious to see what exactly Lilian had in store for me. This was the first time that I was in what Big Larry had called “The Dog House.”
    “Tell me, ” Lilian began, with her hands glued on her hips, “tell me that you didn’t convince this walking paramecium over here to drive by your mother’s house.”
    I swallowed hard and again attempted to turn on my charm, flashing Mrs C my best smile. “Para … ?”
    “An insect with no brains! And that’s what you’re going to be if I don’t get any answers!” Lilian spouted.
    “What in the Sam Hill is going on here?” Rudy shouted as he entered the kitchen.
    “Freeze! Don’t either one of you move!” Lilian warned, as she turned to her husband.
    Without her knowing, I cupped my hand to my mouth and let out a giggle. I thought her remark about Big Larry was hilarious. I could imagine him with big bug eyes and oversized wings, flying around, trying to find something to eat. I had never seen Lilian get that upset before. And I knew that all I had to do was ride out the storm.
What’s the big deal?
I said to myself.
    On the other hand, Big Larry looked as if he had just weathered some pretty rough seas.
    Lilian marched right up to Rudy, whose eyes darted between Larry and me. “The moron twins – Doofus and Wonder Boy here – took a little ride by his mother’s house.”
    “Jesus!” Rudy exhaled.
    I stood in front of the three of them, not understanding the consequences of my actions.
What’s the big deal?
I asked myself again.
    “I’m sorry, ” I blurted. “It’s all my fault. I asked Larry to do it. All we did was ride down the street. What’s the problem?” I asked innocently.
    “Well, your mother has been on the phone all afternoon, ranting and raving about you, ” Lilian said, pointing a finger at me, “terrorizing the streets.”
    “No!” I shook my head. “She’s lying! All we did was ride down the street. We didn’t do anything, honest, ” I said, doing my best to sound calm.
    “David, ” Lilian said as she let out a deep sigh, “don’t you understand?
You
are not
allowed
to go anywhere near her house, her boys or her.”
    My hands shot up in the air. “Wait! Slow down. What do you mean,
I’m not allowed?”
I shouted, as I tried to get Lilian’s attention. But I couldn’t stop her; she was on a roll.
    “That’s only the half of it. Your mother, the sainted Mother Teresa, tells me that if
I
cannot
manage The Boy, she’ll
find someone who can!”
    My mind fought to sort out the words
allowed
and
manage.
    Lilian bent down. “Don’t you ever, ever do that again! You’re grounded!”
    “Grounded?”
    “That’s right, you’re grounded until … until I decide to unground you!” Lilian finished with a huff before I could ask her what she meant.
    Larry stood in disbelief. “Man, I told you that was a bad idea.”
    “So … ? That’s it?” I asked. I knew Lilian was mad, but I expected … well, I didn’t know what to expect.
This I can handle,
I told myself.
    As Big Larry wiped his forehead, Lilian marched back in the kitchen. “Wipe that smirk of your face, Wonder Boy, ” she said as she looked at me. “I forgot – your father’s coming over tomorrow morning at 7:00, so you’ll have to get up early. You can
manage
that, can’t you?” Lilian asked with a sly smile.
    “Yes, ma’am. I can
manage, “
I replied in a sheepish tone.
    “And you!” she yelled as she turned her attention to Larry. “Go to your room!”
    Larry shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, Mom, do I have