You work in the garage downtown . Your father ’ s name is Joe , and your grandma lives out on
Foster Road , by the railroad crossing .”
A look of confusion crossed Lew ’ s face , as though he were trying to put together a puzzle with too many pieces .
“ How do you know all that ? What he ’ d do , tell you about me , too ?”
“ No ,” Jamie said , “ don ’ t be silly .” She laughed to herself . Only Jamie could find humor at a time like this . “ I saw your picture in your grandma ’ s house . I was walking by , and she needed some help bringing in the groceries . Your picture was on the mantel .”
Lew was looking at Jamie as though she had cornstalks growing out of her ears .
Meanwhile Jamie was fanning herself with her hand . “ Well , we were just sitting down to take a breather from all that dancing . It sure gets hot out there . Would you like to join us ? We ’ ve got a couple of chairs . I ’ d love to hear how your grandma is doing .”
She sounded so happy about it that Lew didn ’ t know what to do . Unlike those of us who were used to this sort of thing , he ’ d never come across someone like Jamie before . He stood there for a moment or two , trying to decide if he should hit the guy with the girl who ’ d helped his grandma . If it sounds confusing to you , imagine what it was doing to Lew ’ s petroleum-damaged brain .
He finally skulked off without responding , taking Angela with him . Angela had probably forgotten how the whole thing started anyway , owing to the amount she ’ d had to drink . Jamie and I watched him go , and when he was a safe distance away , I exhaled . I hadn ’ t even realized I ’ d been holding my breath .
“ Thanks ,” I said mumbled sheepishly , realizing that Jamie — Jamie !— was the one who ’ d saved me from grave bodily harm .
Jamie looked at me strangely . “ For what ?” she asked , and when I didn ’ t exactly spell it out for her , she went right back into her story about Bible school , as if nothing had happened at all . But this time I found myself actually listening to her , at least with one of my ears . It was the least I could do .
It turns out that it wasn ’ t the last we saw of either Lew or Angela that evening . The two glasses of punch had really done Angela in , and she threw up all over the ladies ’ rest room . Lew , being the classy guy he was , left when he heard her retching , sort of slinking out the way he came in , and that was the last I saw of him . Jamie , as fate would have it , was the one who found Angela in the bathroom , and it was obvious that Angela wasn ’ t doing too well . The only option was to clean her up and take her home before the teachers found out about it . Getting drunk was a big deal back then , and she ’ d be looking at suspension , maybe even expulsion , if she got caught .
Jamie , bless her heart , didn ’ t want that to happen any more than I did , though I would