The Wild Kid by Harry Mazer

Sammy stood in the stall, flushing bits of toilet paper. A man was waiting to go in. “How about it, sonny?”
    Sammy held the door open and smiled. “I’m done. Your turn.” He washed his hands and face. He waved his hands under the faucets to make the water come.
    â€œOkay,” Kevin said. “Let’s go. And keep that big voice down.”

21

    When they walked into the food court, Sammy wanted to start eating right away. Kevin bought egg rolls and fried rice from one counter, spaghetti and meatballs at another, and pizza and drinks.
    Sammy kept sniffing the food. “Boy, oh boy, this looks good.”
    â€œRemember what I told you about your voice,” Kevin said. He found a table in the middle of the room, and for a while, they just ate.
    Sammy was too hungry to talk. He ate everything: spaghetti, meatballs, pizza slices, even Kevin’s crusts.
    Kevin leaned back in his chair. “What do you want next?”
    â€œPancakes and ice cream.” Two women at a nearby table were throwing him smiles. He didn’t think he knew them, but he smiled back. “I eat six pancakes every Sunday with maple syrup and butter. But this is the best meal I ever had in a long time.”
    â€œHey, in your whole life, man!”
    Sammy patted his belly. “Right, man!” He liked saying things the way Kevin did. It gave him the same good, full feeling that he had now in his belly from eating.
    Kevin kicked his foot. “See that fat lady.” He pointed to a woman at the bagel counter. “She could be my mother.”
    Sammy’s head swiveled around. “Your mother?” What if his mother was here? One of the friendly ladies nearby looked sort of like his mother, except she had really short orangy hair. The other one had a big excited face. She was popping gum.
    â€œWhat’re you smiling at?” Kevin turned to look.
    The two ladies were looking at them and whispering to each other.
    â€œI think those ladies like me,” Sammy said. His mother’s friends always liked him.
    â€œThe whole world likes you.” Kevin got to his feet. “Let’s go, man.” He took Sammy’s arm and pulled him along.
    â€œWhere’re we going now?” Sammy asked. He stopped at the ice-cream counter. “I think I want an ice-cream cone.”
    â€œOkay.” Kevin glanced back. “But hurry it up.”
    Sammy ordered a cone with sprinkles. Just as the girl handed it to him, the woman with the orange hair tapped him on the shoulder. “Aren’t you the boy whose picture I saw in the paper?”
    Sammy smiled politely. Kevin was at the counter, paying. Sammy examined his cone for drips and licked them up.
    â€œWhat’s your name, honey?”
    Before Sammy could answer, Kevin took his arm. “Let’s go, Mike.”
    â€œMike?” The orange-haired lady turned to the other woman. “Mike? Was that his name? I know I saw his picture. Let me get a look at you, honey. You look like that boy, the one who disappeared. Doesn’t he, Connie?”
    Kevin took the cone away from Sammy and tossed it away. “Move, Mike. Mom’s waiting.”
    â€œMike…Mike!” The orange-haired woman hurried after them. “Mike, is this your brother?”
    Sammy nodded.
    â€œIt is?”
    Sammy looked at Kevin and nodded again.
    â€œConnie, see if there’s a security man around.” The woman held on to Sammy. “Is this boy your brother? Let me hear you say it.”
    â€œHe just said it,” Kevin said. “Let go of him.” He pulled Sammy away. “Mom’s waiting.”
    â€œBoys,” the woman called. “Mike! Boys, just a minute, I’m not through talking to you—”
    The boys went around a corner. “Run,” Kevin ordered. They ran through the double doors and out into the parking lot.

22

    It was dark in the woods, except for the circle of light made by Kevin’s