LUCK OF THE PARTRIDGE, PART 2
Danny and Punky sat high up in the treehouse, not doing much more than they had been in Danny's room. At least they were obeying Shirley; the air was certainly fresh, but it didn't motivate either of them to do anything constructive.
"I saw Gloria Hickey at the store yesterday. She said her folks signed her up for day camp." Punky poked at a knot in the wood floor.
"Yeah?" Danny tried not to look too interested. "What one?"
Punky shrugged. "Some weird name, like Okiefenokie or something like that. Why? You want to go there, too?"
"No, no…but it would give me something to do. I mean, how many reruns of "Gilligan's Island" can you watch?"
Punky grinned. "I thought you'd rather open a lemonade stand or something; you know, make a little dough."
"Lemonade stands are for kids. I passed mine on down to Chris a couple of years ago. Camp's not so bad, I hear. There's tons of stuff to do."
"They separate the boys and the girls," Punky told him.
"Oh." Danny looked deflated.
Below them, they heard Gordy's bomb of a car coming, and both boys got on their knees, watching over the railing as the car puttered up the street and stopped in front of the house.
"Hey, how come Keith got a ride home? He said he'd never get in Gordy's jalopy again," Danny wondered out loud.
The passenger door opened and Keith got out, looking a little wobbly, somewhat bent over, his hand to his side.
"Looks like he's hurt," Punky said, looking wide-eyed at Danny. "The chain letter!" he said softly.
Danny shot him a look. "Oh, come on."
"It said 'you and yours.' If Keith's hurt, man...!"
Both of them looked back over the railing. Gordy pulled away and Keith waved a hand. Then, trying his best to straighten up, he started for the house.
Danny scrambled for the steps, climbing down the tree faster than a monkey, with his friend right behind.
"Keith!" Danny ran breathlessly to his brother.
"Oh, fine," Keith muttered, looking skyward. "My luck never changes."
His words made Danny gape.
"Hey, Keith, did you get hurt playing football?" Punky wasn't exactly known for his shyness.
Keith tensed. "Hurt? No, not exactly…"
"Then how come you were all bent over?" Punky asked.
"Well, Ralph tackled me sort of hard…" he stopped. "Hey, why am I telling you?"
"Are you hurt, Keith?" Danny's eyes were wide.
"No. Is Mom in the house?"
Now, Danny looked worried. "If you're not hurt, why are you asking?"
"I just wondered, that's all. Where was she last?" Keith glanced at the house.
"The kitchen, I guess. She was fixing lunch for Punky and me. Are you sure you're not hurt?"
Keith looked frustrated. "Yes, I'm sure, and if Mom asks, you haven't seen me, got it?" He grabbed Danny's shirtfront, bringing the boy nearly to his toes. Then he winced, letting go and grabbing his side.
"You are hurt!" Danny gulped.
"I told you, I just got tackled a little hard, that's all."
"I thought you were playing flag football," Punky said.
"I thought so, too, but Ralph got carried away. Look, you guys, I don't want Mom to see me right now. Do me a favor and make sure she stays in the kitchen while I go upstairs and jump in the shower." Keith's face was serious.
"Okay," Danny agreed. "C'mon, Punk." He led Punky up the sidewalk.
The two boys slipped inside, heading for the kitchen. Keith stood by the open front door. Peeking in the kitchen door, Danny saw Shirley at the counter and he turned, waving Keith on. Keith headed for the staircase as Danny and Punky went non-chalantly into the kitchen.
"Hi, Mom," Danny said innocently.
Fixing a green salad, Shirley looked behind her. "Hi, honey. You two ready for lunch? It's nearly ready. Was that Gordy's car I heard outside?"
Punky and Danny exchanged looks. "Gordy's? No, I think it was the garbage truck. They sound a lot alike."
"So I've heard," Shirley smiled, tearing a lettuce leaf into the bowl. "Danny, do me a favor and run over to the Monahan's for Chris and Tracy. I hope they didn't eat too many brownies and spoiled their appetites."
Danny swallowed. "The Monahan's? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to get lunch on the table," Shirley said, giving him a curious look. "Now, scoot, and make sure you all wash your hands."
On his way out the door, Danny stared at Punky. The taller boy went forward. "Can I help you, Mrs. Partridge?"
"Why thank you, Punky. Yes, you can put the cornbread in that basket for me."
Punky did as he was told, trying to stay out of her way. Then, the doorbell rang.
"Want me to answer that, Mrs. Partridge?" Punky offered.
"No, dear, I can get it," Shirley started for the living room.
He tried to block her way. "It could be one of those pesky salesmen."
"Well, I think I can get rid of him." Shirley was a tiny bit puzzled at his concern. She moved past him, walking briskly to the door.
Opening it, she was surprised to see Reuben there, holding a big pot.
"Reuben! You're just in time for lunch!" She indicated the pot. "Is that for leftovers?"
"No, I made some chili this morning, and I wanted your opinion on it! Bonnie says I make it too hot, but I think it's perfect. I just want to know what you and the kids think."
"Wonderful! It'll go great with the cornbread I made…I was going to heat some soup, but this is even better. There's only me, Danny, Punky, Chris and Tracy home, though." Shirley led him into the kitchen, where he sat the pot on the stove.
"There's enough here to feed an army. I'd appreciate it if you put some aside for Keith and Laurie, too. I need everybody's input." Reuben looked curiously at Punky, who was diligently working with the cornbread, just as he'd been told.
Shirley smiled. "Punky's helping me out here while Danny retrieves Chris and Tracy from Mrs. Monahan's."
"Oh, I see. Can I do something to help?"
"Well, I was going to just eat in here, but I think we'll go in the dining room. Be a doll and set the table in there for me."
"Okay," Reuben nodded, getting everything together, still eyeing Punky.
Punky returned the curiosity by eyeing Reuben as well, and Shirley shook her head, laughing to herself.
===
Finished with his shower, Keith sat on the bed, trying to redress without causing pain to his midriff. It wasn't easy; he was still extremely sore. The bruise there under his ribcage was gigantic!
He tugged on his socks, his face reflecting pain. Darn that Ralph, anyway! If Mom saw him like this, she'd never let him play another quarter of football the rest of his life!
Finally having gotten the socks on, Keith looked at his boots there on the floor nearby. He was just too exhausted to even think of putting them on right now. He carefully lay back on the bed, trying to muster the strength, but it wasn't coming, not right away. Maybe sneakers were a better answer. They weren't heavy. They were also clear on the other side of the room. Maybe in a minute, he'd feel like getting up…
He closed his eyes, resting for a moment against the pillow. Why was he feeling so sluggish?
He heard someone out in the hallway and he sat forward very carefully, reaching over and opening the door a crack. It was Danny, Chris and Tracy, using the bathroom sink to wash up for lunch.
Danny spotted him and came in. "Does your side still hurt?"
"No, not…too much. You haven't squealed on me to Mom, have you?"
"Nope. She doesn't even know you're home. Are you coming down for lunch? Mr. Kinkaid's here."
"I'll be down in a minute. You and Punky act like I just got here, okay?"
"Sure." Danny nodded. "Uh, Keith…"
"What?"
"How lucky do you feel right now?"
Keith frowned. "What?"
Danny just shook his head. "Never mind. Give me about 10 minutes to clue Punky in. He's a slow learner."
Keith rolled his eyes. "Great. And in answer to your luck question, not very!"
Swallowing, Danny exited.
===
It looked as if Reuben's chili was a hit with everyone, which pleased him immensely. Even little Tracy's face reflected happiness and a little of the sauce at the same time.
"Reuben, this really is wonderful!" Shirley swallowed another spoonful.
"Not too hot?"
"Well, it's kinda hot, but I like it," Danny mumbled through the cornbread.
"It is a little on the spicy side, but that's what makes it so good!" Shirley said.
The kitchen door opened and Keith entered, trying to stand as straight as he could. So far, so good. "Hi, everybody."
"Hi, Keith!" Danny and Punky cried in unison, and he shot them a 'cut it out' look.
"Oh, Keith, you're right in time for some of Reuben's chili!" Shirley looked up, sliding her chair back.
"Great!" He hoped he didn't sound too nervous, easing down into a chair next to Tracy.
Shirley glanced down at his feet. The boy was in his socks! "Where are your shoes?"
He looked down. "Oh, uh…I took them off. They got pretty hammered."
"Oh," she said, seemingly unnerved by this strange sequence of events. She moved off into the kitchen. "How'd your game go? Did you win?" Shirley called.
"Fine…it ended in a tie."
She returned with a steaming bowl for him. "A tie?"
"Why didn't you keep playing until somebody won?" Reuben asked.
"Well, we were going to, but one of the guys had to go home." Well, he told himself, it was the truth! He stared down at the chili in the bowl. Suddenly, he felt a little queasy. Not wanting to let on, he took the spoon and stirred it.
Reuben watched him. "It tastes better in your mouth."
"Yeah," Keith grinned nervously. "It was just…hot."
"Wait'll you taste it! You think it's hot now, boy!" Chris said eagerly from across the table.
"It's hot, hot?" Keith swallowed.
"More like spicy. Try it honey; you love spicy food," Shirley urged.
Nodding, Keith slowly brought the spoon up to his mouth and swallowed. They were right. Spicy! He could just imagine what his stomach would say when it landed. His mouth loved it, but would his gut?
"That's….spicy, all right. Great, Reuben." Keith nodded.
"One spoonful won't help. Come on, keep eating! There's plenty more! I want your honest opinion!"
Nodding again, Keith found himself painted into the proverbial corner. He kept spooning it in, and was surprised to find that it wasn't bothering him at all. For now.
The front door opened, and Laurie called out, "Mom, I'm home!"
"We're in the dining room, honey! Come have some chili!"
Laurie entered. "Ooh, chili, huh? I will in a second. Mom, you're not going to believe the luck I had today in the stores!"
There was that word again, and Danny glanced at Punky.
"Find a lot of bargains?"
"Yes, but everything I wanted was already sold out. All I have is a purse full of rainchecks! I hate that! I have to go back downtown in a few weeks to get what I wanted now!"
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry! I don't like those darned rainchecks, either! They're so hard to keep track of, and sometimes the items never come back in stock!" Shirley said sympathetically.
"Talk about your bad luck!" Reuben smiled.
Danny felt Punky kick his foot. He flashed him an 'I know it!' look.
"Well, some of Reuben's chili will make you forget all about your shopping day blues. Want me to get you some?"
"I'll get some, thanks." Laurie sighed, going into the kitchen. "I did manage to find one blouse, but it's a little big in the shoulders. I bought it anyway. You'll help me alter it, won't you?" She returned with her bowl.
"Of course I will," Shirley smiled as Laurie sat down. "Well, it looks as if Keith had the only good luck today, even if his game did end in a draw."
Keith, Danny and Punky all glanced at one another. Keith's eyes told them not to say a word.
"We had pretty good luck at Mrs. Monahan's, Mom," Tracy spoke up.
"You did? What happened?"
"Her sister from Ireland called and talked to her for hours, so we just took our brownies in the living room and watched a funny movie on television!"
Keith had to chuckle. "That is good luck!"
"Well, not really," Chris sighed. "She said she'd come over here tonight and tell us what her sister said."
"Oh, no!" Shirley, Laurie and Keith moaned, as Danny pushed away from the table, motioning Punky to follow suit.
"Thanks for the chili, Mr. Kincaid."
"You're welcome. Where are you two off to in such a hurry?"
"Oh, no place in particular. We…might head over to Mueller's Park," Danny said.
"While you're there, you'd better look for a four leaf clover. If Mrs. Monahan comes over, we're going to need all the good luck we can find!" Laurie giggled, and everyone around her agreed.
Danny forced a smile, pushing Punky out the door.
Shirley called after him. "Don't forget, we have a rehearsal at four o'clock for our weekend date at the Pavilion!"
"Okay," Danny called back.
"Oh, I forgot about that rehearsal," Laurie said. "I made a date with Doug Webster at six. I guess we'll be finished in time.
"Plenty of time," Shirley nodded.
"Can we fix that blouse after lunch? I'd really like to wear it tonight," Laurie asked her mother.
"Sure, honey. Going any place special?"
Laurie shrugged. "Just to an art exhibit."
"Huh. Talk about luck," Reuben shook his head.
"Oh, Reuben, come on. Art exhibits are interesting!" Shirley interjected.
"Not if you expect to get lucky," Keith smiled. To Laurie and Shirley's appalled look, he spread his hands. "Well, we were talking about luck, weren't we?"
Laurie made a disgusted face, poking his shoulder as Reuben covered his smile with his napkin, and Chris and Tracy just looked puzzled.
continued...
Danny and Punky sat high up in the treehouse, not doing much more than they had been in Danny's room. At least they were obeying Shirley; the air was certainly fresh, but it didn't motivate either of them to do anything constructive.
"I saw Gloria Hickey at the store yesterday. She said her folks signed her up for day camp." Punky poked at a knot in the wood floor.
"Yeah?" Danny tried not to look too interested. "What one?"
Punky shrugged. "Some weird name, like Okiefenokie or something like that. Why? You want to go there, too?"
"No, no…but it would give me something to do. I mean, how many reruns of "Gilligan's Island" can you watch?"
Punky grinned. "I thought you'd rather open a lemonade stand or something; you know, make a little dough."
"Lemonade stands are for kids. I passed mine on down to Chris a couple of years ago. Camp's not so bad, I hear. There's tons of stuff to do."
"They separate the boys and the girls," Punky told him.
"Oh." Danny looked deflated.
Below them, they heard Gordy's bomb of a car coming, and both boys got on their knees, watching over the railing as the car puttered up the street and stopped in front of the house.
"Hey, how come Keith got a ride home? He said he'd never get in Gordy's jalopy again," Danny wondered out loud.
The passenger door opened and Keith got out, looking a little wobbly, somewhat bent over, his hand to his side.
"Looks like he's hurt," Punky said, looking wide-eyed at Danny. "The chain letter!" he said softly.
Danny shot him a look. "Oh, come on."
"It said 'you and yours.' If Keith's hurt, man...!"
Both of them looked back over the railing. Gordy pulled away and Keith waved a hand. Then, trying his best to straighten up, he started for the house.
Danny scrambled for the steps, climbing down the tree faster than a monkey, with his friend right behind.
"Keith!" Danny ran breathlessly to his brother.
"Oh, fine," Keith muttered, looking skyward. "My luck never changes."
His words made Danny gape.
"Hey, Keith, did you get hurt playing football?" Punky wasn't exactly known for his shyness.
Keith tensed. "Hurt? No, not exactly…"
"Then how come you were all bent over?" Punky asked.
"Well, Ralph tackled me sort of hard…" he stopped. "Hey, why am I telling you?"
"Are you hurt, Keith?" Danny's eyes were wide.
"No. Is Mom in the house?"
Now, Danny looked worried. "If you're not hurt, why are you asking?"
"I just wondered, that's all. Where was she last?" Keith glanced at the house.
"The kitchen, I guess. She was fixing lunch for Punky and me. Are you sure you're not hurt?"
Keith looked frustrated. "Yes, I'm sure, and if Mom asks, you haven't seen me, got it?" He grabbed Danny's shirtfront, bringing the boy nearly to his toes. Then he winced, letting go and grabbing his side.
"You are hurt!" Danny gulped.
"I told you, I just got tackled a little hard, that's all."
"I thought you were playing flag football," Punky said.
"I thought so, too, but Ralph got carried away. Look, you guys, I don't want Mom to see me right now. Do me a favor and make sure she stays in the kitchen while I go upstairs and jump in the shower." Keith's face was serious.
"Okay," Danny agreed. "C'mon, Punk." He led Punky up the sidewalk.
The two boys slipped inside, heading for the kitchen. Keith stood by the open front door. Peeking in the kitchen door, Danny saw Shirley at the counter and he turned, waving Keith on. Keith headed for the staircase as Danny and Punky went non-chalantly into the kitchen.
"Hi, Mom," Danny said innocently.
Fixing a green salad, Shirley looked behind her. "Hi, honey. You two ready for lunch? It's nearly ready. Was that Gordy's car I heard outside?"
Punky and Danny exchanged looks. "Gordy's? No, I think it was the garbage truck. They sound a lot alike."
"So I've heard," Shirley smiled, tearing a lettuce leaf into the bowl. "Danny, do me a favor and run over to the Monahan's for Chris and Tracy. I hope they didn't eat too many brownies and spoiled their appetites."
Danny swallowed. "The Monahan's? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to get lunch on the table," Shirley said, giving him a curious look. "Now, scoot, and make sure you all wash your hands."
On his way out the door, Danny stared at Punky. The taller boy went forward. "Can I help you, Mrs. Partridge?"
"Why thank you, Punky. Yes, you can put the cornbread in that basket for me."
Punky did as he was told, trying to stay out of her way. Then, the doorbell rang.
"Want me to answer that, Mrs. Partridge?" Punky offered.
"No, dear, I can get it," Shirley started for the living room.
He tried to block her way. "It could be one of those pesky salesmen."
"Well, I think I can get rid of him." Shirley was a tiny bit puzzled at his concern. She moved past him, walking briskly to the door.
Opening it, she was surprised to see Reuben there, holding a big pot.
"Reuben! You're just in time for lunch!" She indicated the pot. "Is that for leftovers?"
"No, I made some chili this morning, and I wanted your opinion on it! Bonnie says I make it too hot, but I think it's perfect. I just want to know what you and the kids think."
"Wonderful! It'll go great with the cornbread I made…I was going to heat some soup, but this is even better. There's only me, Danny, Punky, Chris and Tracy home, though." Shirley led him into the kitchen, where he sat the pot on the stove.
"There's enough here to feed an army. I'd appreciate it if you put some aside for Keith and Laurie, too. I need everybody's input." Reuben looked curiously at Punky, who was diligently working with the cornbread, just as he'd been told.
Shirley smiled. "Punky's helping me out here while Danny retrieves Chris and Tracy from Mrs. Monahan's."
"Oh, I see. Can I do something to help?"
"Well, I was going to just eat in here, but I think we'll go in the dining room. Be a doll and set the table in there for me."
"Okay," Reuben nodded, getting everything together, still eyeing Punky.
Punky returned the curiosity by eyeing Reuben as well, and Shirley shook her head, laughing to herself.
===
Finished with his shower, Keith sat on the bed, trying to redress without causing pain to his midriff. It wasn't easy; he was still extremely sore. The bruise there under his ribcage was gigantic!
He tugged on his socks, his face reflecting pain. Darn that Ralph, anyway! If Mom saw him like this, she'd never let him play another quarter of football the rest of his life!
Finally having gotten the socks on, Keith looked at his boots there on the floor nearby. He was just too exhausted to even think of putting them on right now. He carefully lay back on the bed, trying to muster the strength, but it wasn't coming, not right away. Maybe sneakers were a better answer. They weren't heavy. They were also clear on the other side of the room. Maybe in a minute, he'd feel like getting up…
He closed his eyes, resting for a moment against the pillow. Why was he feeling so sluggish?
He heard someone out in the hallway and he sat forward very carefully, reaching over and opening the door a crack. It was Danny, Chris and Tracy, using the bathroom sink to wash up for lunch.
Danny spotted him and came in. "Does your side still hurt?"
"No, not…too much. You haven't squealed on me to Mom, have you?"
"Nope. She doesn't even know you're home. Are you coming down for lunch? Mr. Kinkaid's here."
"I'll be down in a minute. You and Punky act like I just got here, okay?"
"Sure." Danny nodded. "Uh, Keith…"
"What?"
"How lucky do you feel right now?"
Keith frowned. "What?"
Danny just shook his head. "Never mind. Give me about 10 minutes to clue Punky in. He's a slow learner."
Keith rolled his eyes. "Great. And in answer to your luck question, not very!"
Swallowing, Danny exited.
===
It looked as if Reuben's chili was a hit with everyone, which pleased him immensely. Even little Tracy's face reflected happiness and a little of the sauce at the same time.
"Reuben, this really is wonderful!" Shirley swallowed another spoonful.
"Not too hot?"
"Well, it's kinda hot, but I like it," Danny mumbled through the cornbread.
"It is a little on the spicy side, but that's what makes it so good!" Shirley said.
The kitchen door opened and Keith entered, trying to stand as straight as he could. So far, so good. "Hi, everybody."
"Hi, Keith!" Danny and Punky cried in unison, and he shot them a 'cut it out' look.
"Oh, Keith, you're right in time for some of Reuben's chili!" Shirley looked up, sliding her chair back.
"Great!" He hoped he didn't sound too nervous, easing down into a chair next to Tracy.
Shirley glanced down at his feet. The boy was in his socks! "Where are your shoes?"
He looked down. "Oh, uh…I took them off. They got pretty hammered."
"Oh," she said, seemingly unnerved by this strange sequence of events. She moved off into the kitchen. "How'd your game go? Did you win?" Shirley called.
"Fine…it ended in a tie."
She returned with a steaming bowl for him. "A tie?"
"Why didn't you keep playing until somebody won?" Reuben asked.
"Well, we were going to, but one of the guys had to go home." Well, he told himself, it was the truth! He stared down at the chili in the bowl. Suddenly, he felt a little queasy. Not wanting to let on, he took the spoon and stirred it.
Reuben watched him. "It tastes better in your mouth."
"Yeah," Keith grinned nervously. "It was just…hot."
"Wait'll you taste it! You think it's hot now, boy!" Chris said eagerly from across the table.
"It's hot, hot?" Keith swallowed.
"More like spicy. Try it honey; you love spicy food," Shirley urged.
Nodding, Keith slowly brought the spoon up to his mouth and swallowed. They were right. Spicy! He could just imagine what his stomach would say when it landed. His mouth loved it, but would his gut?
"That's….spicy, all right. Great, Reuben." Keith nodded.
"One spoonful won't help. Come on, keep eating! There's plenty more! I want your honest opinion!"
Nodding again, Keith found himself painted into the proverbial corner. He kept spooning it in, and was surprised to find that it wasn't bothering him at all. For now.
The front door opened, and Laurie called out, "Mom, I'm home!"
"We're in the dining room, honey! Come have some chili!"
Laurie entered. "Ooh, chili, huh? I will in a second. Mom, you're not going to believe the luck I had today in the stores!"
There was that word again, and Danny glanced at Punky.
"Find a lot of bargains?"
"Yes, but everything I wanted was already sold out. All I have is a purse full of rainchecks! I hate that! I have to go back downtown in a few weeks to get what I wanted now!"
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry! I don't like those darned rainchecks, either! They're so hard to keep track of, and sometimes the items never come back in stock!" Shirley said sympathetically.
"Talk about your bad luck!" Reuben smiled.
Danny felt Punky kick his foot. He flashed him an 'I know it!' look.
"Well, some of Reuben's chili will make you forget all about your shopping day blues. Want me to get you some?"
"I'll get some, thanks." Laurie sighed, going into the kitchen. "I did manage to find one blouse, but it's a little big in the shoulders. I bought it anyway. You'll help me alter it, won't you?" She returned with her bowl.
"Of course I will," Shirley smiled as Laurie sat down. "Well, it looks as if Keith had the only good luck today, even if his game did end in a draw."
Keith, Danny and Punky all glanced at one another. Keith's eyes told them not to say a word.
"We had pretty good luck at Mrs. Monahan's, Mom," Tracy spoke up.
"You did? What happened?"
"Her sister from Ireland called and talked to her for hours, so we just took our brownies in the living room and watched a funny movie on television!"
Keith had to chuckle. "That is good luck!"
"Well, not really," Chris sighed. "She said she'd come over here tonight and tell us what her sister said."
"Oh, no!" Shirley, Laurie and Keith moaned, as Danny pushed away from the table, motioning Punky to follow suit.
"Thanks for the chili, Mr. Kincaid."
"You're welcome. Where are you two off to in such a hurry?"
"Oh, no place in particular. We…might head over to Mueller's Park," Danny said.
"While you're there, you'd better look for a four leaf clover. If Mrs. Monahan comes over, we're going to need all the good luck we can find!" Laurie giggled, and everyone around her agreed.
Danny forced a smile, pushing Punky out the door.
Shirley called after him. "Don't forget, we have a rehearsal at four o'clock for our weekend date at the Pavilion!"
"Okay," Danny called back.
"Oh, I forgot about that rehearsal," Laurie said. "I made a date with Doug Webster at six. I guess we'll be finished in time.
"Plenty of time," Shirley nodded.
"Can we fix that blouse after lunch? I'd really like to wear it tonight," Laurie asked her mother.
"Sure, honey. Going any place special?"
Laurie shrugged. "Just to an art exhibit."
"Huh. Talk about luck," Reuben shook his head.
"Oh, Reuben, come on. Art exhibits are interesting!" Shirley interjected.
"Not if you expect to get lucky," Keith smiled. To Laurie and Shirley's appalled look, he spread his hands. "Well, we were talking about luck, weren't we?"
Laurie made a disgusted face, poking his shoulder as Reuben covered his smile with his napkin, and Chris and Tracy just looked puzzled.
continued...