Stotan! by Chris Crutcher Page A

if you have a problem, just wait or go on to something else until I get back.” She looked at Jamie. “The door will be open, so don’t get anything started.”
    Jamie jammed his chin further into his chest and glared a hole in his shoes.
    I identified myself as a friend of Nortie’s and she remembered me from the time I came down to watch him.
    â€œWhere is he?” she asked.
    â€œHe’s at my place. He thinks he just jettisoned his career as a molder of young minds.”
    She looked concerned. “I wish he’d stayed. Running was the worst thing. He left my babies alone.” Her eyes went to the ceiling. “Poor Nortie, he must feel a fool.”
    â€œAt best,” I said. “He thinks he’s a child-abuser.”
    Maybelle passed that off. “We’re gonna have some trouble with Mr. Crawford,” she said. “He can be a bad, bad man when he gets a little drink in him. An’ usually what he gets is a lot of drink in him. He’ll come over here all righteous and nasty, talkin’ about how nobody can touch his kid but him. Then he’ll take Jamie home and beat hell out of him.” She shook her head. “Ain’t it a world.”
    â€œShould introduce him to Nortie’s dad,” I said. “They could compare war stories.”
    â€œListen, honey,” she said. “You get Norton back over here. I don’t know exactly how we can repair this, but I know we can’t do it with him hid out in your bedroom. You get him over here, hear?”
    I said I’d do my best and thanked her. What a feeling that woman has about her. What a big, powerful, wonderful woman.
    Â 
    When I got back, I saw Elaine’s car parked down the block, so I stopped and told her I’d bring her up to date as soon as I checked on Nortie. She was worried, but willing to wait when I said I thought it would be best if she didn’t come in just yet. When I got up to my room, though, Nortie was gone; he must have left before shegot there. A note on my pillow said: “Thanks, Walk. I’ve got it back together and I know what I have to do.” My heart stopped until I read on: “Don’t worry. I’m not my brother. And please don’t tell anyone else about him.”
    I was a little worried because I figured what he “had to do” would more than likely be self-destructive, given his condition at last sight; but I did trust the little maniac not to off himself. There was no way to guess where he’d gone, so I went out and invited Elaine in to bring her up to date and give her a cup of hot chocolate.

CHAPTER 6
    December 16
    The Eve of Stotan Week
    Nortie quit his job over at the East Side Childcare Center. I probably passed him on my way back to my place. He never did see Maybelle face to face or she might have been able to talk him out of it; he just left a note stuck between the door jamb and the knob that said there was no room in that business for guys who lose it. He even sent his last check back—told them to keep it and buy something for the Center. As far as Nortie is concerned, his days of helping kids find their other mitten and ordering Weekly Reader are over before they started. That breaks my heart; Nortie willbe lost without it. And I don’t know what he’s going to do about Milika—that’s his girlfriend. She works over there too, and he hasn’t seen her since the day he quit. She doesn’t go to Frost, so he doesn’t run into her at school, and even though she’s called, she can’t seem to get hold of him. She called me a couple of times, trying to locate him, but when I give him the message, he just nods. I think he’s too embarrassed. If he doesn’t do something about it pretty soon, I’m going to kidnap his young butt and drag him over to see her. He really seems to like her a lot and it must be tearing him up to stay away. That’s the dangerous part