Edison's Gold by Geoff Watson

family called home, was like a lot of towns in the outer boroughs. Brick, bland, and boring, with mom-and-pop hardware stores, pharmacies, and an Italian restaurant on practically every corner. As soon as they merged onto Midland Avenue, Tom’s dad began what Tom thought of as the “vulture circle”—wheeling around and around the same blocks, in hope of finding that elusive parking spot.
    Noodle had commandeered the radio and didn’t even notice when Tom’s dad missed two free spaces.
    â€œDad!” Tom pressed forward, pointing. “There! And there … and there.”
    â€œOh, right—thanks.” Mr. Edison craned his neck to reverse the station wagon at a snail’s pace into a massive spot by the curb. As he put the car in park, Tom caught his dad’s eyes in the rearview mirror. They looked troubled and distant. “Why don’t you two go hang out at Sammy’s for a bit? And I’ll meet you back here in twenty minutes.”
    â€œSure,” said Tom. “Where are you going, anyway?”
    â€œJust a couple things I need to take care of.”
    Something was definitely up. Even Noodle raised his eyebrows. “Mr. Mystery,” he murmured as the three of them stepped out of the car.
    At their first stop, Sammy’s Electronics, the wire adapters Tom had been waiting for still hadn’t come in, so they decided to kill time at their mutually favorite haunt, Lucky Lou’s Five and Dime, one of the several run-down retail shops along Midland.
    Inside the stuffy, overstocked store, Noodle swept a rainbow wig off one of the shelves, fixing it onto his head as he checked his reflection in a tiny mirror by the front counter. Lucky Lou himself was in his normal spot, snoozing away behind the front register while an
I Love Lucy
rerun played on his tiny black-and-white TV.
    â€œNoodle, I have something I really need to get off my chest.” Tom had planted himself directly in his friend’s path. “It’s been killing me.”
    â€œLiterally? You’re not dying, are you?”
    â€œNo. Worse. My dad just took some job in Wichita.” Tom let the words hang in the stale air for a moment. Noodle’s mouth opened slightly, and his eyes drifted tothe side, like he was trying to figure out a strange riddle in his head.
    â€œWhat do you mean, Wichita?” he finally said.
    â€œLike, halfway across the country. Kansas. We’re moving in two weeks.”
    â€œWhen were you gonna tell me?”
    â€œI just found out two days ago.”
    â€œIs this for … forever?”
    Tom shrugged. “For a while. Probably till I’m in college.”
    â€œYou can’t do that,” said Noodle dryly. “We have too much stuff to do. There’s like, puberty and driving and, and, and …” His gaze was bouncing around the room, and his voice was growing louder. “We were supposed to get part-time jobs together at Pie in the Sky, remember? Now who am I gonna learn to toss pizza dough with? You know everyone else at school annoys me!”
    â€œAt least you have Colby. I’m losing my two best friends, and I’m not gonna know anyone.”
    â€œYour dad’s whole plan is Craisins! You’re from New York.” Noodle was pleading with Tom now, as if he’d been the one who’d decided to move. “People in theMidwest’ll think you’re like some kind of a Martian with your weird inventions and stuff.”
    â€œRichard Drew invented Scotch tape, and he was from Minnesota.”
    â€œYou’re missing the point. Which is that this is the worst news ever.”
    Tom had been dreading this conversation for a while, and though he was thankful for it to be over, it had gone as terribly as he thought it would, and he didn’t feel the least bit better now that the secret was off his chest. In fact, on top of all the dread, he now felt guilty for letting down his