Thirty-Two
Clarence stumbled along the worn path behind the old library. He pictured people, mainly kids, cutting through, from the back alley to the front door of the library—from individual homes, into streets, onto the path, converging at the library.
Paint peeled off the old sign and the lettering had faded, but the words were still readable: Public Library ~ Hours: 10-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. 1-5 p.m., Saturday. Open to the public. "Books are the answer to questions," by Mabel Linger.
Ha. That old librarian.
He and Dad had put that sign up.
Leaves swirled around his feet. They skittered off the sidewalk and gathered in bunches in midair, obscuring the sign. When they cleared, he emerged, a young boy dressed in denim overalls over a plaid shirt, hands deep in his pockets, br
