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how to answer him。
'It's the truth； there's just two things ahead nowadays。
'
。What？'
'Militant Democracy or Fascism。'
'Don't you like Republicans？'
'Shucks；' Harry said。 'That's not what I mean。'
He had explained all about the Fascists one afternoon。 He told
how the Nazis made little Jew children get down on their
hands and knees and eat grass from the ground。 He told about
how he planned to assassinate Hitler。 He had it all worked out
thoroughly。 He told about how there wasn't any justice or
freedom hi Fascism。 He said the newspapers wrote deliberate
lies and people didn't know what was going on in the world。
The Nazis were terrible—everybody knew that。 She plotted
with him to kill Hitler。 It would be better to have four or five
people in the conspiracy so that if one missed him the others
could bump him off just the same。 And even if they died they
would all be heroes。 To be a hero was almost like being a
great musician。
'Either one or the other。 And although I don't believe in war
I'm ready to fight for what I know is right'
'Me too；' she said。 'I'd like to fight the Fascists。 I could dress
up like a boy and nobody could ever telL Cut my hair off and
all。'
It was a bright winter afternoon。 The sky was blue…green and
the branches of the oak trees in the back yard were black and
bare against this color。 The sun was warm。 The day made her
feel full of energy。 Music was hi her mind。 Just to be doing
something she picked up a ten…penny nail and drove it into the
steps with a few good wallops。 Their Dad heard the sound of
the hammer and came out in his bathrobe to stand around
awhile。 Under the tree there were two carpenter's horses； and
little Ralph was busy putting a rock on top of one and then
carrying it over to the other one。 Back and forth。 He walked
with his hands out to balance himself。 He was bowlegged and
his diapers dragged down to his knees。 George was shooting
marbles。 Because he needed a haircut his face looked thin。
Some of his permanent teeth had already come—but they
were210
small and blue like he had been eating blackberries。 He
drew a line for taw and lay on his stomach to take aim for the
first hole。 When their Dad went back to his watch work he
carried Ralph with him。 And after a while George went off
into the alley by himself。 Since he shot Baby he wouldn't
buddy with a single person。
'I got to go；' Harry said。 'I got to be at work before six。' 'You
like it at the cafe？ Do you get good things to eat free？'
'Sure。 And all kinds of folks come in the place。 I like it better
than any job I ever had。 It pays more。'
'I hate Mister Brannon；' Mick said。 It was true that even
though he never said anything mean to her he always spoke in
a rough； funny way。 He must have known all along about the
pack of chewing…gum she and George swiped that time。 And
then why would he ask her how her business was coming
along—like he did up in Mister Singer's room？ Maybe he
thought they took things regular。 And they didn't。 They
certainly did not。 Only once a little water…color set from the
ten…cent store。 And a nickel pencil…sharpener。
'I can't stand Mister Brarmon。'
'He's all right；' Harry said。 'Sometimes he seems a right queer
kind of person； but he's not crabby。 When you get to know
him。'
'One thing I've thought about；' Mick said。 'A boy has a better
advantage like that than a girl。 I mean a boy can usually get
some part…time job that don't take him out of school and leaves
him time for other things。 But there's not jobs like that for
girls。 When a girl wants a job she has to quit school and work
full time。 I'd sure like to earn a couple of bucks a week like
you do； but there's just not any way。'
Harry sat on the steps and untied his shoestrings。 He pulled at
them until one broke。 'A man comes to the caf6 named Mr。
Blount。 Mr。 Jake Blount。 I like to listen to him。 I learn a lot
from the things he says when he drinks beer。 He's given me
some new ideas。'
'I know him good。 He comes here every Sunday。'
Harry unlaced his shoe and pulled the broken string to even
lengths so he could tie it in a bow again。 'Listen'—he
rubbed his glasses on his lumberjack in a nervous way— 'You
needn't mention to him what I said。 I mean I doubt if he would
remember me。 He don't talk to me。 He just talks to Mr。 Singer。
He might think it was funny if you —you know what I mean。'
'O。K。' She read between the words that he had a crush on
Mister Blount and she knew how he felt。 'I wouldn't mention
it。'
Dark came on。 The moon； white like milk； showed in the blue
sky and the air was cold。 She could hear Ralph and George
and Portia in the kitchen。 The fire in the stove made the
kitchen window a warm orange。 There was the smell of smoke
and supper。
'You know this is something I never have told anybody；' he
said。 'I hate to realize about it myself。'
。What？'
'You remember when you first began to read the newspapers
and think about the things you read？'
'Sure。'
'I used to be a Fascist。 I used to think I was。 It was this way。
You know all the pictures of the people our age in Europe
marching and singing songs and keeping step together。 I used
to think that was wonderful。 All of them pledged to each other
and with one leader。 All of them with the same ideals and
marching in step together。 I didn't worry much about what was
happening to the Jewish minorities because I didn't want to
think about it。 And because at the time I didn't want to think
like I was Jewish。 You see； I didn't know。 I just looked at the
pictures and read what it said underneath and didn't
understand。 I never knew what an awful thing it was。 I thought
I was a Fascist。 Of course later on I found out different。'
His voice was bitter against himself and kept changing from a
man's voice to a young boy's。
'Well； you didn't realize then' she said。
'It was a terrible transgression。 A moral wrong。'
That was the way he was。 Everything was either very right or
very wrong—with no middle way。 It was wrong for anyone
under twenty to touch beer or wine or smoke a cigarette。 It
was a terrible sin for a person to cheat on a test； but not a sin
to copy homework。 It was a moral wrong212
for girls to wear lipstick or sun…backed dresses。 It was a
terrible sin to buy anything with a German or Japanese label；
no matter if it cost only a nickel。
She remembered Harry back to the time when they were kids。
Once his eyes got crossed and stayed crossed for a year。 He
would sit out on his front steps with his hands between his
knees and watch everything。 Very quiet and cross…eyed。 He
skipped two grades in grammar school and when he was
eleven he was ready for Vocational。 But at Vocational when
they read about the Jew in 'Ivanhoe' the other kids would look
around at Harry and he would come home and cry。 So his
mother took him out of school。 He stayed out for a whole year。
He grew taller and very fat。 Every time she climbed the fence
she would see him making himself something to eat in his
kitchen。 They both played around on the block； and sometimes
t