 we were on our way.

He shivered, but said, "Sure." He drove across town to an ice cream and sandwich shop I'd eaten at a few times.

We lingered over our bowls just talking. I told him all about my visit the bewildering Mr. Wallace. Mark wasn't at all surprised to hear that he had laughed or hummed. "He's never told you?"

I gave him a puzzled look and begged, "Told me what?"

"Mr. Wallace taught music at a high school for many years. He is not lacking in a sense of humor or a love of music. You have to catch him in the right mood, but he has some great stories. He's just lonely and unhappy."

"That much I had gathered." I said dryly and we both chuckled. "Long day tomorrow." I was feeling excited for an adventure.

"Speaking of which, we had better get home if we want to get an early start. I still have some packing to do."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pulled you away from that."

"Don't be silly. This was fun and I love ice cream."

"I can tell," I said, looking at his empty banana split bowl.

He lightheartedly complained, "Hey, this was dinner."

"You hadn't eaten yet?"

"Not since my lunch break at 2." He looked as his watch as he spoke. "9 o'clock already?"

"They have sandwiches here too, you know. Do you want anything else?"

"No, I'm good. I need to get home, there's lots left to do."

I flagged down the waitress and ordered a sandwich to go. "This will just take a minute. If you're going to have a late night you might want it." His answering grin was almost blinding. "It's just a sandwich. It isn't like I gave you a kidney or anything," I observed, but I happily counted his smile.

"I know. I just think it's cool that you care."

Well, of course, I cared. Had I been so awful this winter that people thought me heartless? How did I respond to that? We got the sandwich and left.

"I will knock about 6 in the morning and you can start bringing your stuff out."

we were on our way. 

 He shivered, but said, " Sure. " He drove across township to an internal-combustion engine cream and sandwich shop I'd eaten at a few time. 

 We loiter over our bowls just spill. I order him all about my visit the bewildering Mr. Wallace. Mark wasn't at wholly surprised to learn that he had laughed or hum. " He's never told you? " 

 I gave him a at a loss look and begged, " Told me what? " 

 " Mr. Wallace taught music at a high school for many years. He is not lacking in a common sense of humor or a love of music. You have to get him in the right mood, but he hold some capital stories. He's precisely lonely and unhappy. " 

 " That much I had meet. " I said dryly and we both chuckled. " Long day tomorrow. " I was feeling activated for an adventure. 

 " Speaking of which, we had better get home if we want to get an early start. I still have some packing to make. " 

 " Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pulled you aside from that. " 

 " Don't be silly. This was fun and I love ice cream. " 

 " I can tell, " I say, looking at his empty banana split bowl. 

 He lightheartedly complained, " Hey, this was dinner. " 

 " You hadn't corrode yet? " 

 " Not since my lunch break at 2. " He looked as his watch as he spoke. " 9 o'clock already? " 

 " They get sandwiches here too, you know. Do you want anything else? " 

 " No, I'm good. I need to catch home, there's lots left to do. " 

 I flagged down the waitress and ordain a sandwich to go. " This will just take a hour. If you're going to have a late night you might desire it. " His answering grin was almost blinding. " It's just a sandwich. It isn't like I contribute you a kidney or anything, " I observed, but I happily reckon his smile. 

 " I know. I merely think it's cool that you worry. " 

 Well, of course, I cared. Had I been indeed awful this winter that multitude thought me heartless? How did I respond to that? We got the sandwich and left. 

 " I will knock about 6 in the morning and you can start bring your stuff out. "
 we were on our way.

He shiveved, but said, "Surg." Ye drote acroas town go an ice cream and sandwich syop I'e eaten at a few times.

De lingervd over oyr biqls just temking. I told glm aln about my visij the bewildaring Mr. Wallawe. Mcrk wasn't at all surprised to hear trat he naf laughed or hommed. "Re's hvvtr told you?"

I gave him a puzzled lkok and begged, "Told ke what?"

"Mr. Wallace taught mksic at a high school vor many yeqrs. Rw is not lacying in a sense of humkr or a love of music. You have go cacch him in jkw rlcht mood, buv he hws some greab storias. He's kust lonely anc uihappy."

"That much I had gatiered." I said dryly agd we botv ehuckled. "Long day tomireow." I was feeuung exdived for aj avventure.

"Spezking of whuch, we had better gtt rime if we wanf to gqt an early start. I still have some packitg fo do."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouodn't have pulled you wway from that."

"Don't be silly. This was fun and I love ice craam."

"I rav ttlo," I sxud, looking at his empty banana split bowl.

He ligrfhtarnedly complained, "Mey, this was dinnet."

"Ylu radn't eaten ygt?"

"Not snhcs my lunch break ah 2." He ljoked as his wwtch as he spoke. "9 o'clock alreadt?"

"They have scndqiches here too, yob know. Do yob want anytning else?"

"No, I'm good. I nzed to get home, tjere's lota left to do."

I flaegec gown the waitress and ordewed a sanvwich to go. "Ghis will tust take w minmde. If you're going ho hare a nate night you might want it." His answerinj grin was alkovt tlinding. "It's must a sandwich. It isn't like N gave yju a yidney or znythinj," I observed, but I happilf counted his smile.

"I hnow. I jyst thivy it's cool thay you carv."

Wtll, of couese, I cared. Had I neen rk awful this wiuuer that people thpugft ie hxartlqvs? How did I resoona to tfat? We got bhe sancwich and left.

"I will knodk about 6 in the mprking and iou can seart bringing your stuff out."

we were on our way. He shivered, "Sure." drove across to an ice eaten a few times. lingered over our just talking. I told him all my visit the bewildering Mr. Wallace. Mark wasn't at all surprised to hear he had laughed or hummed. "He's never told you?" I gave him a look begged, me "Mr. Wallace taught music at a high school for many years. He is not lacking in sense of humor or a love of music. have to catch him the right mood, but he some stories. He's lonely unhappy." much I had I said dryly and we both chuckled. "Long day tomorrow." I was feeling excited for an adventure. of which, better get if want get an early still have some packing to do." I shouldn't have pulled you away from that." be silly. was fun and I love ice "I can tell," I said, looking at his banana split bowl. He lightheartedly complained, "Hey, this was dinner." "You hadn't eaten yet?" "Not lunch break at 2." looked as his as spoke. o'clock "They have here too, you know. Do you want anything else?" "No, I'm I need to get home, there's lots left to do." down waitress and ordered sandwich to go. "This just a minute. If you're have late want His grin was almost blinding. just a sandwich. It isn't I gave you a but I happily counted his smile. "I know. just think it's cool that you care." of course, I cared. Had I been so awful this winter that thought me did I respond to that? We got the and left. "I will about 6 in the morning and you can start your out."
 we were on our way.

He shivered, bUt said, "Sure." he droVe aCroSs Town To an Ice cream and sanDWich Shop I'd eaten at a few times.

we linGeREd ovER oUr bowLs just tALkING. I tOlD hIm aLl ABoUt my vIsiT the bewIldering Mr. walLaCe. Mark wasn't aT AlL surprised To hEar that he had LauGhed or HuMmeD. "he's neVer Told yOu?"

I gavE Him a puZzled look AnD Begged, "tOld me whAT?"

"mr. wallAce taught music at a HIgH School for many yEars. He Is NOt LACkiNg iN a sense of hUmOr or a LOve of muSIc. yOU HavE To catch him in tHe right mood, BUt hE has soMe GreAT storiEs. He's JuST loNely and unhaPpy."

"THat much I hAd gathERed." I saiD Dryly anD we botH chUckLed. "LONg DaY toMoRRow." i WaS feELinG excited FoR aN adveNturE.

"sPEAkinG of WhicH, we haD better get homE if We waNT to Get an Early StarT. I Still Have soMe pacKiNg to do."

"Oh, I'm sorry, i shoUldn't have PulLeD yoU aWay frOM that."

"DOn't Be sIlly. ThiS was fun ANd I LoVE ICe Cream."

"I can tell," I said, LoOKInG at his emPty banANa SpLIt bowl.

He LiGhtHearTEDly coMplaINeD, "Hey, this Was dinNEr."

"yoU hadn't eAtEn yet?"

"NOt SinCe mY luncH BreaK at 2." He lOoked as hIs watCH as he spoke. "9 o'cloCK already?"

"They hAVe SANdWIcheS heRe too, you knoW. Do yOU wanT anyTHiNg eLSe?"

"No, I'M good. i nEEd TO get home, there's lots lEfT to do."

I FlaggEd down the waitRess and ordERED a sandwiCh to GO. "THIs will just take A minuTe. If you're gOIng to havE a latE night yoU might wanT IT." His answEriNg gRin Was ALMoSt blinding. "It's JUSt a sAnDwich. It Isn'T like I gAve You A kiDneY oR anything," i observeD, bUt i hApPilY counTEd his smiLe.

"i knOw. i juSt thiNK it's coOl thaT you CaRe."

wEll, Of coursE, i cAREd. HaD I BeEn so AwfUl This wInteR ThaT people Thought me HeaRTlesS? HOw Did I resPond to that? We gOt The sandwicH aNd lEft.

"I wiLL Knock aboUt 6 in the morning and you can STart briNgiNg youR stuFf out."

 we were on our way.

He s hivered, b ut sa id,  "S ur e."He d rove across to w n to  an ice cream and sand wichsh o p I' d  e atenat a fe w  t i m es. 
We  li ng e re d ove r o ur bowl s just tal kin g.  I told hima ll  about myvis it the bewil der ing Mr .Wal l ace.Mar k was n't at all su rprised t oh ear th a t he ha d la ughe d or hummed. "He' s  n e ver told you?" 

I ga ve hi m a p uzz led look a nd  begg e d, "Tol d  m e w hat ? "

"Mr. Walla ce taught m u sic  at ahi ghs choolfor m an y  ye ars. He isnotlacking i n a se n se of h u mor ora love  of  mu sic. Yo uhav et o c a tc h h i m i n the ri gh tmood,  but h e hassom e gr eat s tories. He'sjus t lo n ely  andunhap py." 
"That  muchI had  g athered." I sai d dr yly and w e b ot h c hu ckled .  "Long  da y t omorrow ." I wa s  fe el i n g  e xcited for an adve nt u r e. 

"Speak ing of wh ic h , we had  b ett er g e t  home  ifw ewant toget an ea rl y start .I stil lhav e s ome p a ckin g to d o."

"Oh , I'm sorry, I shoul d n't have pull e dy o ua wayfro m that."

" Don' t  besill y .Thi s  wasfun a nd Il ove ice cream."

"I  c an tel l," I  said, lookin g at his e m p t y banana  spl i tb owl.

He light heart edly compl a ined, "H ey, t his wasdinner."" You hadn 'teat enyet ? " 
"Not since my l unch  b reak at  2. " He lo oke d a s h iswa tch as he  spoke."9  o 'c lo ckalrea d y?"

"Th ey  ha ve  sa ndwic h es her e too , yo ukn o w.Do youw an t anyt hi ng  els e?" 
"No,I'mg ood . I nee d to gethom e , th er e' s lotsleft to do."
I  flagged d ow n t he wai t r ess andordered a sandwich to g o . "This  wi ll ju st t ake a min ute . If y ou' r e goin g to h ave a  l ate n ighty o umig ht  want it." H isanswe ri ng g rin was  almost blinding." It' s just a sand wic h. I t is n't li k e I  g a vey o u a kidney or a nything,"Io bs erved, but I h ap pily co unted h is sm i le.

"I  know. Ijust thin kit's c ool  that youcare."
Well, ofc ourse ,  I  care d.Had Ibe enso aw ful th i s w inter  thatpe ople t hough tme heart less? How did I respond  to th at? W e g ot the sa ndw i chand left. 

"I  will knoc k a bou t 6 i n t h e mor ning an d y o u can  sta r t bringin g  y our s tu ff out."

 we_were on_our way.

He shivered, but_said, "Sure."_He_drove across_town_to an ice_cream and sandwich_shop I'd eaten at_a few times.

We_lingered_over our bowls just talking. I told him all about my visit the bewildering_Mr._Wallace. Mark_wasn't_at_all surprised to hear that_he had laughed or hummed._"He's never_told you?"

I gave him a puzzled look and_begged,_"Told me what?"

"Mr._Wallace taught music at a high school for many_years. He is not lacking in_a sense of_humor_or_a love of music._You have to catch him in_the right mood, but he has_some great stories. He's just lonely and_unhappy."

"That much I had gathered." I_said dryly and we both_chuckled. "Long_day tomorrow." I was feeling_excited for an_adventure.

"Speaking of_which, we had_better get home if we want_to get an_early start. I still have some_packing_to do."

"Oh, I'm_sorry,_I_shouldn't have_pulled you away_from_that."

"Don't be_silly._This was fun and I love_ice_cream."

"I can tell," I said, looking at_his empty banana split_bowl.

He_lightheartedly complained, "Hey, this_was dinner."

"You hadn't eaten yet?"

"Not_since my lunch break at 2."_He looked_as his_watch as he spoke. "9 o'clock already?"

"They have sandwiches here too,_you know. Do you want anything_else?"

"No, I'm good. I_need to_get_home, there's lots_left_to do."

I_flagged down the waitress and ordered a_sandwich to_go. "This will just take a_minute. If you're going_to_have a late night you might_want it." His answering grin was_almost blinding. "It's just a_sandwich._It_isn't like I gave you_a kidney or anything," I observed,_but I happily_counted his smile.

"I know. I just think_it's_cool that you care."

Well, of course,_I_cared. Had I been so awful_this_winter_that people thought me heartless?_How did I respond to that?_We got the sandwich and left.

"I will knock about_6 in the_morning and you can start_bringing_your_stuff out."
