big elephant.”
“Why is he in the pond?”
“Elephants like water. He was hot and thirsty after being in the trailer, and I guess he just wanted to go for a swim.”
I knew better — a lot better — than to tell her who was on top of the elephant when he took his dip. I just hoped Nick was smart enough to keep that little piece of information to himself, as well. If he didn’t, that might be his last ride on the elephant.
“How long has he been in there?” she asked.
I looked at my watch. It was almost five o’clock. “About four hours.”
“And how long will he be in there?”
“I guess that’s up to Peanuts.”
“I see. Where’s your brother and Mr. McCurdy?”
“They’re in the barn with Vladimir, getting things ready to transfer the cats from the trailer to their new pens,” I said.
“Is that going to happen today?” She sounded anxious, as if she didn’t want to be here if it was going to happen now. She probably didn’t want Nick or me to be here, either.
“They need to have more materials to get the pens ready before they move the animals. I don’t think that’ll happen until tomorrow at the earliest. Speaking of early, why are you here so early?”
“I brought dinner for you and Nick.” She held up a bag. “Chinese.”
“That’s great. Is there enough for Mr. McCurdy and Vladimir?” I asked.
“I didn’t know they’d be here, or I would have brought more. Maybe since Mr. McCurdy is here, I can take the two of you home to eat. Or the four of you could share.”
“I think I’d rather eat here and — four of us? What about you?”
“I’m not going to be eating with you. I have to meet somebody for dinner.”
“A business meeting on a Friday night?” I asked.
“Not business. It’s sort of a date.”
“Sort of a date? Is it or isn’t it a date, and with whom?”
“It’s nothing really. Martin invited me to join him for dinner.”
“You’re going to dinner with the captain — I mean, the acting chief?”
“Is there anything wrong with that?” she asked. “He seems like a nice man.”
“Sure, he seems nice, but he’s the acting chief of police,” I explained.
“So?”
“So I don’t know.” It just didn’t seem right. Did policemen go out on dates? Did they eat?
“Maybe I should say hello to Mr. McCurdy,” Mom said. “And I’m eager to meet Vladimir before I go.”
“They’re in the barn. How about if you go down and get them? I’ll stay here with Peanuts and —”
“Hey!” Nick yelled, coming up the path. Mr. McCurdy, Vladimir and Calvin were right behind him. There was something about seeing a chimpanzee ambling along that always brought a smile to my face.
“Have you seen my elephant?” Nick called out.
“I’ve seen parts of the elephant,” Mom said, ignoring the part about it being Nick’s elephant.
“How are you doing, Ellen?” Mr. McCurdy said.
“I’m doing fine, Angus. And you?” she asked as she gave him a hug.
“Good as can be.” He paused. “Now where are my manners? Ellen, this is Vladimir.”
Vladimir stepped forward, bowed slightly, and they shook hands. “Most pleased to meet you. I am Vladimir … Vladimir Markov.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Ellen Fraser.”
Vladimir still held my mother’s hand. “Fraser, like in last name of big girl Sarah and Nicki?”
“We share the same last name because I’m their mother.”
“No, cannot be!” Vladimir said. “Cannot be mother … too young.”
My mother looked as if she was blushing.
“But could be big sister of big girl Sarah. You look like her. Pretty like big girl Sarah.” Now I felt myself start to blush.
“That’s kind of you to say, Mr. Markov.”
“Not Mr. Markov … Vladimir! Please call me Vladimir!”
“And you can call me Ellen.”
“And now I know you are mother of wonderful big girl Sarah and Nicki I must do this!” Vladimir pulled my mother toward him and wrapped his arms around her, lifted her off the
“Why is he in the pond?”
“Elephants like water. He was hot and thirsty after being in the trailer, and I guess he just wanted to go for a swim.”
I knew better — a lot better — than to tell her who was on top of the elephant when he took his dip. I just hoped Nick was smart enough to keep that little piece of information to himself, as well. If he didn’t, that might be his last ride on the elephant.
“How long has he been in there?” she asked.
I looked at my watch. It was almost five o’clock. “About four hours.”
“And how long will he be in there?”
“I guess that’s up to Peanuts.”
“I see. Where’s your brother and Mr. McCurdy?”
“They’re in the barn with Vladimir, getting things ready to transfer the cats from the trailer to their new pens,” I said.
“Is that going to happen today?” She sounded anxious, as if she didn’t want to be here if it was going to happen now. She probably didn’t want Nick or me to be here, either.
“They need to have more materials to get the pens ready before they move the animals. I don’t think that’ll happen until tomorrow at the earliest. Speaking of early, why are you here so early?”
“I brought dinner for you and Nick.” She held up a bag. “Chinese.”
“That’s great. Is there enough for Mr. McCurdy and Vladimir?” I asked.
“I didn’t know they’d be here, or I would have brought more. Maybe since Mr. McCurdy is here, I can take the two of you home to eat. Or the four of you could share.”
“I think I’d rather eat here and — four of us? What about you?”
“I’m not going to be eating with you. I have to meet somebody for dinner.”
“A business meeting on a Friday night?” I asked.
“Not business. It’s sort of a date.”
“Sort of a date? Is it or isn’t it a date, and with whom?”
“It’s nothing really. Martin invited me to join him for dinner.”
“You’re going to dinner with the captain — I mean, the acting chief?”
“Is there anything wrong with that?” she asked. “He seems like a nice man.”
“Sure, he seems nice, but he’s the acting chief of police,” I explained.
“So?”
“So I don’t know.” It just didn’t seem right. Did policemen go out on dates? Did they eat?
“Maybe I should say hello to Mr. McCurdy,” Mom said. “And I’m eager to meet Vladimir before I go.”
“They’re in the barn. How about if you go down and get them? I’ll stay here with Peanuts and —”
“Hey!” Nick yelled, coming up the path. Mr. McCurdy, Vladimir and Calvin were right behind him. There was something about seeing a chimpanzee ambling along that always brought a smile to my face.
“Have you seen my elephant?” Nick called out.
“I’ve seen parts of the elephant,” Mom said, ignoring the part about it being Nick’s elephant.
“How are you doing, Ellen?” Mr. McCurdy said.
“I’m doing fine, Angus. And you?” she asked as she gave him a hug.
“Good as can be.” He paused. “Now where are my manners? Ellen, this is Vladimir.”
Vladimir stepped forward, bowed slightly, and they shook hands. “Most pleased to meet you. I am Vladimir … Vladimir Markov.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Ellen Fraser.”
Vladimir still held my mother’s hand. “Fraser, like in last name of big girl Sarah and Nicki?”
“We share the same last name because I’m their mother.”
“No, cannot be!” Vladimir said. “Cannot be mother … too young.”
My mother looked as if she was blushing.
“But could be big sister of big girl Sarah. You look like her. Pretty like big girl Sarah.” Now I felt myself start to blush.
“That’s kind of you to say, Mr. Markov.”
“Not Mr. Markov … Vladimir! Please call me Vladimir!”
“And you can call me Ellen.”
“And now I know you are mother of wonderful big girl Sarah and Nicki I must do this!” Vladimir pulled my mother toward him and wrapped his arms around her, lifted her off the
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