There was another important matter of business I had to attend to
now that I was back. The next morning, I left Charly to her dreams
and made my way back to the house of my youth.
My parents were still in India, and I didn’t have any keys, so I
rang the front door in the hopes that someone was home. A bored-
looking young lady whom I took to be the sitter answered the door.
After talking to her for a few minutes, I paid her and told her that she
wouldn’t be needed. She didn’t seem to mind too much.
I scaled the familiar carpeted steps up to the second floor. I had
forgotten about carpet. In none of the myriad of rooms in which I
stayed on my trip had there been proper carpets. Such an absurd
luxury was unheard of in most parts of the world. Aside from the
comfort it imparted, carpet allowed someone to be very sneaky,
which was what I was doing.
I quietly entered my old room, which was now Jesse’s, and knelt
down beside his bed. I whispered his name and stared intently at him
until he slowly opened his eyes.
“Hey chief,” I said. Rarely had I used terms of endearment with
him, but this was a good place to start.
“Jake!” he sat up surprised. “You’re back.”
“Yeah. Hey, why don’t you get up and get dressed and we’ll go
get some breakfast.”
“Really?” He seemed surprised.
I nodded. Jesse dressed quickly and we left.
“What are you making?” he said. We were in the park, by a pond.
“It’s called a muesli, and you’ll love it.”
“Moosey? We’re going to eat a moosey?” he laughed.
“Uh-huh. Here you go.” I handed him a bowlful.
We ate in silence.
“Hear that?” I said.
“What?”
“Listen.”
“I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly. Isn’t it beautiful?”
He looked at me strangely.
“You seem different, Jake.”
I laughed and gave him a little hug. “I do?”
“Yeah. But good different.”
BIG AMERICAN BREAKFAST
238
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