and grin at you forever, too, and when he did this Rub got so self-conscious he had to look down at the floor. âWe going back to work?â he said finally, for something to say.
Sully shrugged. âYou think we should?â
Rub nodded enthusiastically.
âOkay,â Sully said. âAs long as youâre not too worried.â
Rub frowned. âAbout what?â
âAbout my bad knee. The one you never forget about. I thought you might be worried Iâd hurt it again.â
Rub wasnât at all sure how to respond to this. He could think of only two responsesâno, he wasnât too worried, and yes, he was worried. Neither seemed quite right. He knew he was supposed to be worried. If true, this meant he was expected to hope they
didnât
go back to work, something Rub couldnât really hope, because heâd missed working with Sully a great deal this fall and hated working with his cousins collecting trash, almost as much as they hated letting him. North Bath had recently suspended trash collection as a city service, leading to entrepreneurial daring on the part of Rubâs relatives, who had for generations worked for the sanitation department. Last year theyâd purchased the oldest and most broken down of the townâs aging fleet of three garbage trucks, had SQUEERS REFUSE REMOVAL stenciled on the door, and prepared to compete on the free market. In addition to the driver, there were always at least two Squeers boys hanging on to the back of the truck as it careened through the streets of Bath, and when the vehicle came to a halt they leapt off the truck like spiders and scurried for curbside trash cans. There were only sobooth or not. Heâd been under the distinct impression that when Sully told him to go grab a booth, he himself had intended to join him there when he finished with the old woman. Except that now Sully was seated at the counter talking to Cass as if heâd forgotten all about Rub and the booth. To make matters worse, several people had come in and were waiting near the door for a booth to be vacated. They kept looking at Rub, all alone in his big one. Had the stool next to Sully been empty Rub would have made for it, but that stool was occupied, which meant he had to choose between sitting alone at a booth for six and not having a place to sit at all. His deeply furrowed expression suggested that the conundrum might be causing a cranial blood clot.
âHe
has
been even more pathetic than usual this fall,â Cass had to admit. âHe was in here earlier looking for you.â
âI figured.â
âHe ask you yet?â
Sully shook his head. âHe keeps getting interrupted. In another minute or two heâll cry.â
Indeed, Rub looked to be on the verge of tears when Sully finally relented and waved him over. Jumping up quickly, he came toward them at a trot, like a dog released from a difficult command.
âThereâs no stool,â he said as soon as he arrived.
Sully swiveled on his, a complete circle. âYou know what? Youâre right.â
The people waiting by the door made for the booth Rub had vacated. Rub sighed deeply as he watched them take possession. âWhat was wrong with the booth?â
âNothing,â Sully told him. âNot a goddamn thing. Booths are great, in fact.â
Rub threw up his hands. The look on his face was pure exasperation.
âThink a minute,â Sully reminded him. âWhatâd you just do for me over at the house?â
Rub thought. âTied your shoe,â he suddenly remembered.
âWhich means?â Sully prompted.
Cass set a steaming cup of coffee in front of Sully and asked Rub if he wanted any.
âDonât interrupt,â Sully told her. âHeâs deep in thought.â
âI never minded tying your shoe,â Rub said. âI know your kneeâs hurt. I didnât forget.â This last was delivered so unconvincingly
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