The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

lives."
    My father doesn't like government workers any better than he likes car salesmen and pool contractors. He didn't like people on welfare, either.
    My mother interrupted his diatribe to tell him that "the Castaneda girl" would be coming to our home the next day.
    "We're going to play bridge," Leslie said happily.
    My father withdrew back into his silence.
    "Is Toni's grandmother still alive?" I asked. "Or did she die in the insane asylum?"
    My mother stared at me like I was the one who belonged in an insane asylum. "Now, don't you go asking Toni a lot of stupid questions about her grandmother. Try to act like a normal human being."
    "I was just curious what ever happened to her," I persisted.
    "She went crazy," said my mother. "They locked her in an asylum."
    "I mean after that. Did they ever let her out? Is she still alive?"
    "She's dead," my father said flatly. "She died in the asylum. Nixon led the investigation into her death."
    I wondered if I had heard him correctly. "Nixon?" I repeated. "President Nixon?" I had learned about Nixon and Watergate in U.S. History.
    "It was before he became president," said my father.
    "Senator King was a very important man, from a very prominent family," said my mother. "When his wife died at such a young age, you can be sure there was an investigation."
    "What did they find out?" asked Leslie.
    "About what?" asked my mother.
    "How did she die?"
    My parents didn't know.
    "I think it was ruled a suicide," said my father.
    "Those were different times," my mother explained. "Before CNN. People's privacy was respected. It was bad enough for Senator King that he married such a person. The public didn't need to know all the embarrassing details."
    Embarrassing? I wondered. His wife kills herself, and he's embarrassed ?

29
A Silver Ice Bucket
    I didn't know we owned a silver ice bucket. Tiny silver tongs, too. They had been placed on a silver tray, along with several bottles of soda. There was also the box of fancy cookies that had been sitting on the top shelf of a cabinet for as long as I could remember. Leslie and I had been forbidden to open it. Until now.
    My mother had gone to a store and purchased a "bridge set," which included two decks of cards and a special score pad with the words We and They printed on it. She also bought a cheese ball.
    "You're wearing that?" she asked me.
    I didn't reply. I was wearing what I was wearing.
    "Can you at least comb your hair?"
    The doorbell rang.
    "Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to answer it?"
    I opened the door to see Toni's nervous smile. "Hi," she said quietly.
    "Hi," I replied.
    My mother told me to quit standing there like a bump on a log. "Invite your guest to come inside."
    "Come on in," I said.
    "Welcome to our humble home," said my mother.
    "Thank you," said Toni.
    "And how are your parents?" my mother asked her.
    "They're fine, thanks."
    "We go way back, you know."
    "Yes, they've told me about you," said Toni.
    That couldn't be good, I thought.
    "Too bad you never got to know your grandparents," said my mother. "I think it's tragic when a family can't get along."
    "It was tragic," Toni agreed.
    "Are you still seeing the same psychiatrist?" my mother asked. "What's his name?"
    "Don't answer that," I said, then told my mother to "quit badgering her."
    "I'm not badgering anyone. I'm just making friendly conversation. She's your guest, and you've hardly said a word. Somebody has to pick up the slack."
    "It's all right," said Toni. "His name's Dr. Ellsworth."
    "Ellsworth's a good man," my mother said, as if she had a clue. "Are you taking medication?"
    "Jesus Christ!" I exclaimed. This from a woman who complained about people's privacy not being respected anymore.
    "It's no big deal," said Toni. "Yes, Mrs. Richards. I have a prescription to control my schizophrenia."
    My mother shot me an I-told-you-so look. Then she turned back to Toni and told her she had "wonderful poise. Don't you think so, Alton?"
    "Yeah,