The Pinballs by Betsy Byars Page B

keep him?”
    â€œYeah, sure, what else? As a matter of fact, he’s unreturnable.”
    The puppy was wiggling against Harvey’s neck, and suddenly Harvey started to cry. It was the first time he had cried since the accident. It was like the turning on of a spigot. He sobbed, and the tears rolled down his cheeks in streams. The puppy, wild with all the excitement, licked at the tears.
    â€œGo ahead and cry all you want to,” Carlie said happily. “You got your own personal crying towel now.”
    She turned to Thomas J. “You know, when I get to be a nurse, every morning I’m going to bring a basket of puppies to the hospital with me. They’re better than pills.”
    Harvey was still crying. “It just makes me feel so—” He broke off. “I don’t know. It’s just that I didn’t think— Oh, I don’t know how I feel.” He cried again.
    The nurse on the floor was passing the door and heard the commotion. She stuck her head in the room.
    â€œUnder the covers, quick!” Carlie said, poking the puppy under the sheet.
    â€œWhat’s going on in here?”
    â€œBelieve it or not,” Carlie said, “we are having a wonderful time.”
    The nurse kept looking at Harvey. She said, “Harvey, are you all right?”
    â€œYes’m.”
    â€œAre you laughing or crying?”
    â€œBoth, I guess.”
    The nurse kept standing there. She noticed the bulge under the sheet, but she decided to ignore it. This was the first time Harvey had shown any sign of life in two days. “You want anything?” she asked.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œCokes,” Carlie hissed at him.
    â€œOh, yeah, could me and my friends have a Coke?” Harvey asked. “It’s my birthday.” He wiped his remaining tears on the sheet.
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œWant to see what I got for my birthday? My friends gave it to me.”
    â€œDon’t—” Carlie started to say, but Harvey reached under the sheet and pulled out the puppy before she could finish.
    â€œNow, you know better than to have a puppy in here,” the nurse said. “Why, if I had seen that puppy I would have to send him out right this minute.”
    â€œYes’m.”
    She smiled. “I’ll bring the Cokes.” She started out the door and then leaned back in. “And many happy returns of the day, Harvey.”
    â€œThank you.” As the door closed, he held up the puppy so he could get a good look now that his eyes were dry. “This is the nicest puppy I have ever seen.”
    â€œThomas J and me only give the best,” Carlie said.
    â€œThere was six of them,” Thomas J said, “but this one came running over and started licking us and we knew it was the one for you.”
    Carlie said, “Listen, don’t think this puppy is all you’re getting for your birthday though. I’m making my famous mayonnaise cake and bringing it over tonight.”
    â€œAnd will you bring the puppy back then too?”
    â€œListen, this puppy is not so easy to lug around,” Carlie said. “If you want to do any real playing with him, you’re going to have to get out of this hospital.”
    â€œI will,” Harvey said, “but will you bring him tonight?”
    â€œ If ,” Carlie said, “Mrs. Mason will lend me her tote bag.”

24
    â€œWell, that’s what’s known as a successful gift, Thomas J,” Carlie said. They were walking home from the hospital with the puppy between them.
    â€œYeah.”
    Carlie threw back her head and breathed in the morning air. “You know, Thomas J, I just feel real good.”
    â€œMe too.”
    â€œThis is probably what it feels like to be famous.”
    â€œFamous?”
    â€œYeah—hey, get the puppy, will you, he’s going under those bushes.” She waited, then said, “Like one time Harvey was making up one of his lists