From: TajuddinA@aol.com
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 01:49:20 -0500
Message-ID: <970107012956_1324924460@emout05.mail.aol.com>
Subject: child 10/10

"Like As a Child" pt. X
Epilogue

  Al Calavicci sat in the car. It was getting warm and it was all he could do
to keep himself from wasting gas to turn on the air conditioner. He was
sitting there debating with himself. The minutes passed by and he was still
uncertain of what to do. Finally, he got out, tugged on his silver flight
jacket in spite of the heat, and walked up the walkway. 
  He rang the bell and waited. A boy answered, about seventeen or eighteen.
"Yeah?" he asked, slumping against the door frame. 
  "Is your mother in? I'm.....interested in buying the house next door and I
wanted to meet the people who may be my new neighbors." He allowed himself a
slight grin; years of promping Sam had turned him into a talented liar.
  He gave him a sullen look. "Yeah, hang on." He almost entirely closed the
door and ran up the stairs. "Mom?!" he yelled as he went.
  It was a nice house, Al decided. Kind of on the small side, but nice. From
somewhere inside, Beethoven drifted through the house.
  "Yes?" A woman opened the door all the way and looked at him with a
half-suspicious glance.
  "Hi," he said as brightly as he could. "I may be your new neighbor and I
just wanted to introduce myself. Al Calavicci," he added, offering his hand. 
  She smiled and almost all suspicion was wiped away. "Jody Essman," she
said. "Please, come in. My husband's upstairs doing on some phone conference,
but you
already met my son, Michael." Al noted that she was very careful to make sure
he knew her husband was home.
  "That's beautiful piano," he said, stepping into the house.
  She smiled fondly. "My daughter. Callie. She's got more musical talent than
anyone else in the house." She led him down the hallway and into the living
room. A plush blue carpet gave way beneath his feet as he entered the room. A
grand piano sat in the corner of the room and at it, sat Callie. She played,
not even hearing the two of them enter behind her. Jody motioned for him to
sit down and they both sat on a couch on the far side of the room. The music
continued, a light, happy tune that floated up and down with her movements.
  When she finally stopped, she turned around with an open smile. "Hi, Mom,"
she said, turning to face them.
  "Callie, this is Mr. Calavicci. He may be moving next door to us."
  "Al," he corrected.
  Callie looked at her mother, as if seeking her permission to address him by
first name. She nodded and Callie offered her hand. "Nice to meet you, Al,"
she said with a small smile.
  He took her hand and forced himself to release it after they shook. "Well,
I didn't mean to intrude....I just wanted to meet all of you."
  Impulsively, Jody asked, "would you like to stay for dinner? You still have
to meet Tom."
  Al declined politely, giving some excuse about work. He glanced up above
the piano to see a familiar picture and his gaze softened. "That's a lovely
picture."
  She looked up at him carefully. "Thank you. You're sure you won't stay?"
  "No, thank you, I really must be getting back home." In reality, he didn't
think he could bear to be there anymore. With a parting smile at Callie, who
still seemed to be on the shy side, he left. As the door closed behind him,
Al pulled a small package out of his pocket, wrapped in gold foil, and placed
it on the door step. He got in the car and began the long drive back to the
airport and then New Mexico.
  The next morning, Jody found a box on the front steps. It had "For: Callie"
printed in plain black ink on the tag. The girl never knew quite why, but the
CD of piano music by Mozart was one of the most treasured things she ever
owned.