I and Sproggy by Constance C. Greene

not always but most times.”
    â€œMa, I was wondering about something,” Adam said. He’d been thinking about this for a while, and now seemed the time to ask.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œThat night that Dad was here, with Harry and me,” he said.
    â€œYes?” His mother had become completely still. She looked at him, giving him her full attention.
    â€œWell, I was just wondering how it was to see Dad again, after he got married to Arabella. And everything,” he finished lamely.
    â€œI felt a little sad, I guess,” she said after some thought. “I’ll always have a special feeling for your father. He was my first love, really. I think I’ll always love him just a little, but I’m happier not being married to him. Do you understand?”
    â€œNot really,” Adam said. But he was relieved at her answer. He’d been afraid she might be unhappy because his father was married to someone else. “Do you think he thinks she’s as pretty as you are?” he said.
    â€œNot likely,” she said in an English accent, and they both laughed. It was all right.
    â€œI might tell you in a little while what’s on my mind,” Adam said. “It’s getting better, though,” he sighed. “There are just some things you can’t tell your mother right away,” he said.
    â€œGood heavens, that sounds ominous.” She brushed his hair off his forehead. “It can’t be that bad. Can it?”
    â€œIt depends on what you mean by ‘that bad,’” Adam said. “What’s bad to you isn’t necessarily bad to me. And vice versa.”
    She thought about that for a minute. “That’s true,” she said. “You are getting older and wiser, my friend.”
    â€œI know,” he said.
    For lack of anything better to do, he cruised by the park bench to see what was going on. Nothing. Low clouds scudded in the sky, and the sunlight filtered through without much enthusiasm. A couple of guys were throwing a Frisbee around. Adam stood and watched. They didn’t throw it his way or even look at him, so he moved on.
    â€œHey,” he said to the guard at Gracie Mansion, “a friend of mine’s coming to a party here on Sunday.”
    â€œSunday’s my day off,” the guard said. “I and the wife are going to New Rochelle for her folks’ wedding anniversary. Thirty-five glorious years of togetherness. We all chipped in and bought them a color TV. They’ll cry when they see it.”
    Adam nodded. A jogger came down East End Avenue, head back, mouth open, eyes half shut. Joggers always looked as if they were in agony, Adam thought, but they must be having a good time. Otherwise, why would they jog? Life was full of questions and very few answers, Adam decided.
    When he checked a little later, Steve and Kenny were sitting there, waiting.
    â€œIt’s about time,” Steve said.
    â€œI wasn’t sure I was coming,” Adam said, “after the fight. I told you guys I wasn’t in the club any more. Where’s Sproggy? Trying to scare up another quarter?”
    â€œYou’re a million laughs,” Kenny told him.
    â€œShe couldn’t come today. We wanted to have a business meeting, settle our finances,” Steve said. “My father says if an organization’s finances are in a muddle, it’s in trouble.”
    â€œWhy don’t we ask your father to join?” Adam asked sarcastically.
    â€œOh, he’s too busy.” Steve was serious.
    â€œI’m the treasurer, right?” Kenny said. “I’m in charge of collecting the dues.” He checked his notebook. “You’re in arrears,” he told Adam.
    â€œI told you I was out,” Adam said. “If it’s a chess club, I can’t play chess so that lets me out.”
    â€œWe changed it,” Steve said. “We’re going to make it an investment club instead. We