rwardbyisgettiopounce.Mr.Fingerwasinnopositiontosavehimself.Infacthewasnoteveorunaway.Stepbystepheretreatedfromhispredatoruntilhefoundhimselfbackedintoaerwithogo.Indesperationhecriedout,

    “Dimitri!Help!Whereareyou,RichardandJamaz?Wheretheheckareyouguys?Iamintrouble.eandhelpme!”SuddenlyherememberedthathehadseverelywoundedJamazwhomayevenhavedied.“Oh,howcouldIhavedonesuchadastardlythingaskillingmygoodfriend?Ireallydeservetobepuhisisiablyjustdesertsformycrimes.”ThebckcatpouMr.Finger,whoquicklyydownftonthegroundandrolleduhecrackofthedoorofthehouse.Inthiscritientoflifeah,heagainhadanarroeandmaosavehislife.

    DimitriputhislefthandonCharina’srightshoulder,holdieewhichheishout,inhisrighthand.ThetwoofthemtogetherwithMaureen,whichCharinaledonaleash,walkedleisurelyonthesidewalksaroundLakeMerritt.Charinaseldomcameoutsoteatnight,soshemadesurethatherdogwasleashedforfearitwouldtakeitintoitsheadtoadveintothenightonitsown.Thekewaterwascalmandsmooth,coveredwithalightcoatoffog.Carsdrovebyfastandtherewerenootherpedestriansabout.Nowandthenapolicecarwoulddriveslowlyby,evidentlyonpatrositdidnothaveitssirenbring.Thesituationhadcalmeddow,quitedifferentfromtenseandnerve-ragatmosphereearlierinthenight.Dimitritooseemedmoreposed.Heseemedtohavetakena‘ewhatmay’attitudeaboutthefuture,aswwouldnotmendmatters.TheymadeawholeroundofthekeinaboutanhourandCharinaledDimitritoabendsaid,

    “It’sbeenquiteawalk.Let’ssitdownandtakeabreak.”Dimitrinoddedhisassentandbothofthemsatdown.MaureeovertoDimitriandsatdownbyhisside.Dimitrilovinglystrokeditssilkysmoothfurandsaid,

    “DidyouknowthatIusedtohangaroundhereallthetime?Therosegardepassedwasoneofmyfavoritehaunts.Iwouldbringabottleofliquorthereahenightintheopenwiththebeautifulroses.SometimesIgetdrunkandworrythattheflowerswouldwiltwhileIsleep…Sadlysuchcarefreeaimesarenomore.”Charinashookherhead,herlonghairswaying,givingoffarose-likefragrandsaid,

    “Solongasthereispoetryinyourheart,yourlifewillbebeautifusapoem.Poetiviroisalwaysaround,sothereisionofitsdisappearingandbeingnomore…Butsometimes,Ihaveafantasyofdressingupasahomelesspersonandgogallivantingtothefarthestersoftheworldwithyou.Thatshouldbeawonderfulexperience.”

    “Thelifeofahomelesspersonisnotasromanticasyouseemtothink”repliedDimitrismiling.“Itisnotthekindoflifemostpeoplecouldhandle.Ifyouareied,wecouldgiveitatryandyouwouldknowalltheupsanddownofvagabondlife.Apolicecardroveslowlybyandstoppednearby.Thepolirolleddownhiscarwindowandgavethemapuzzledlook:abeautifundcssylookingwomansittioamiddle-agedhomelesspersowopletelydifferentcssesofpeoplewereactuallysittingpanionablysidebyside.Hesteppedoutofhisdwalkedovertothemsaying,

    “Wearelookingforapairoffugitives,amanandawoman.Haveyouseenanyonelikethemaroundhere?”

    “No”repliedCharina.“Wehavemadearoundofthekeandhaven’tseenanotherperson.”Thepolisizedupthepairinfrontofhimanddecidedtheywerenottheohepolicewereafter.Hetookouthisnotebookandaskedpolitely,

    11

    “MayIhaveyournames,pleaseandyouroccupation?”Charinatoldhimherhatshewas

rwardbyisgettiopounce.Mr.Fingerwasinnopositiontosavehimself.Infacthewasnoteveorunaway.Stepbystepheretreatedfromhispredatoruntilhefoundhimselfbackedintoaerwithogo.Indesperationhecriedout,

    “Dimitri!Help!Whereareyou,RichardandJamaz?Wheretheheckareyouguys?Iamintrouble.eandhelpme!”SuddenlyherememberedthathehadseverelywoundedJamazwhomayevenhavedied.“Oh,howcouldIhavedonesuchadastardlythingaskillingmygoodfriend?Ireallydeservetobepuhisisiablyjustdesertsformycrimes.”ThebckcatpouMr.Finger,whoquicklyydownftonthegroundandrolleduhecrackofthedoorofthehouse.Inthiscritientoflifeah,heagainhadanarroeandmaosavehislife.

    DimitriputhislefthandonCharina’srightshoulder,holdieewhichheishout,inhisrighthand.ThetwoofthemtogetherwithMaureen,whichCharinaledonaleash,walkedleisurelyonthesidewalksaroundLakeMerritt.Charinaseldomcameoutsoteatnight,soshemadesurethatherdogwasleashedforfearitwouldtakeitintoitsheadtoadveintothenightonitsown.Thekewaterwascalmandsmooth,coveredwithalightcoatoffog.Carsdrovebyfastandtherewerenootherpedestriansabout.Nowandthenapolicecarwoulddriveslowlyby,evidentlyonpatrositdidnothaveitssirenbring.Thesituationhadcalmeddow,quitedifferentfromtenseandnerve-ragatmosphereearlierinthenight.Dimitritooseemedmoreposed.Heseemedtohavetakena‘ewhatmay’attitudeaboutthefuture,aswwouldnotmendmatters.TheymadeawholeroundofthekeinaboutanhourandCharinaledDimitritoabendsaid,

    “It’sbeenquiteawalk.Let’ssitdownandtakeabreak.”Dimitrinoddedhisassentandbothofthemsatdown.MaureeovertoDimitriandsatdownbyhisside.Dimitrilovinglystrokeditssilkysmoothfurandsaid,

    “DidyouknowthatIusedtohangaroundhereallthetime?Therosegardepassedwasoneofmyfavoritehaunts.Iwouldbringabottleofliquorthereahenightintheopenwiththebeautifulroses.SometimesIgetdrunkandworrythattheflowerswouldwiltwhileIsleep…Sadlysuchcarefreeaimesarenomore.”Charinashookherhead,herlonghairswaying,givingoffarose-likefragrandsaid,

    “Solongasthereispoetryinyourheart,yourlifewillbebeautifusapoem.Poetiviroisalwaysaround,sothereisionofitsdisappearingandbeingnomore…Butsometimes,Ihaveafantasyofdressingupasahomelesspersonandgogallivantingtothefarthestersoftheworldwithyou.Thatshouldbeawonderfulexperience.”

    “Thelifeofahomelesspersonisnotasromanticasyouseemtothink”repliedDimitrismiling.“Itisnotthekindoflifemostpeoplecouldhandle.Ifyouareied,wecouldgiveitatryandyouwouldknowalltheupsanddownofvagabondlife.Apolicecardroveslowlybyandstoppednearby.Thepolirolleddownhiscarwindowandgavethemapuzzledlook:abeautifundcssylookingwomansittioamiddle-agedhomelesspersowopletelydifferentcssesofpeoplewereactuallysittingpanionablysidebyside.Hesteppedoutofhisdwalkedovertothemsaying,

    “Wearelookingforapairoffugitives,amanandawoman.Haveyouseenanyonelikethemaroundhere?”

    “No”repliedCharina.“Wehavemadearoundofthekeandhaven’tseenanotherperson.”Thepolisizedupthepairinfrontofhimanddecidedtheywerenottheohepolicewereafter.Hetookouthisnotebookandaskedpolitely,

    11

    “MayIhaveyournames,pleaseandyouroccupation?”Charinatoldhimherhatshewas