The Pinballs by Betsy Byars

Run away. Nobody’s going to run away . You been watching too many Shirley Temple movies. We’re just going to take off, split.” She glanced at the door to see if Mrs. Mason was within hearing, then she turned back to Harvey. “You know, it really isn’t a bad idea, Harvey. I couldn’t go home because they’d pick me right up, but this farm …”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œFor one thing, I am in a wheelchair in case you haven’t noticed.”
    â€œListen, the wheelchair would make it easier. It makes you look pitiful. Nobody would turn us down for a ride. I could step out and thumb and you could hold up a sign that said—”
    â€œI couldn’t do it.”
    â€œHarvey, you could . Listen—”
    â€œI don’t want to talk about it.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œI don’t want to talk about it!”
    â€œAll right, all right, we won’t talk about it. You don’t have to jump down my throat.” She paused, then said, “Anything interesting in your lists lately?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYour lists. Anything interesting?”
    â€œOh, no.” Harvey’s eyes were on the street. His father would have to come over the crest of the hill.
    â€œWhat’s your latest list about?”
    â€œWhat? Oh.” Harvey touched his forehead. He was too nervous to remember. He said, “Oh, I don’t know. Let’s see. Oh, yeah, it was just something I read that interested me, nothing important.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI read somewhere that one day everybody will be famous for fifteen minutes.”
    â€œWhoo, if that’s true, I wish my fifteen minutes would hurry up and come. I am so bored.”
    â€œAnd I’m making a list of ways—if I get the fifteen minutes of fame—well, the ways I would want it to be.”
    â€œWhat do you want to do? Splash down in the Pacific in a rocket ship? Discover a new germ?” She straightened. “You know what I’d want? I’d want a fifteen-minute TV special. I’d come out in a low-cut, shiny dress like Cher and I’d be so good that everyone would say ‘Who is she?’ and ‘She’s going to be a star.’” Carlie grinned. “That way my fifteen minutes would just be the beginning of a whole lot of fifteen minutes. I’d stretch it out like an all-day sucker.”
    Harvey was still looking at the top of the hill. “I keep hearing a car but I don’t see it.”
    Carlie said quickly, “How do you want to be famous?”
    â€œI don’t know. I forget what I put down now.” He looked down at his legs. “I just hope it’s not for something bad.”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œOh, like maybe I’ve already had my fifteen minutes—maybe when my dad ran over my legs—” He looked at Carlie. “I mean, everybody in town knew about it. Everyone was talking. People were driving past our house. Maybe that was my fifteen minutes.”
    â€œNaw. They didn’t just drive past your house for fifteen minutes, did they? Not if I know people. More like two or three days. No, you’re going to be famous. Hey, you’ll be a writer. I know you will. You’ll write best-sellers.”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œLook, I was in the newspaper too one time, only they just called me a juvenile. You think I consider that fame? A juvenile? Naw, it’s got to be more than that. You’ll be a famous writer and then you can write a movie for me. I’ll get to be a star that way.”
    â€œThat’s his car,” Harvey said abruptly. He made a move as if he was trying to get to his feet. A pain shot through his legs.
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œIt’s the same car.”
    Carlie got to her feet. “Then I’ll go inside as promised.” At the door she turned. “If you need me, I’ll be right inside the