_I_ would be glad to have Hi-nin in the car pool. Four of the other mamas were like me, amazed that anyone was willing to put up with her child all the way to and from Playplace. I could count on them to cooperate. But Gail's mama.... I'd gone to Western State Preparation for Living with Regina Raymond Crowley. I landed on the Crowley home and tooted for five minutes before I remembered that Regina was at work. "_Ma_-ma!" Gail began. "Wouldn't you like to come to Verne's house," I asked, "and we can call up your mama?" "No." Well, I asked, didn't I? I was carrying Gail down the steps from my roof when I bumped unexpectedly into Clay. "What is that!" he exclaimed, and Gail became again flying blonde hair and kicking feet. "Regina's child," I said. "What are you doing home?" "Accountant sent me back. Twenty-five and a half hours is the maximum this week. Good thing, too. I've got a headache." He eyed Gail meaningfully. She was obviously not the sort of thing the doctor orders for a headache. "I can't help it, honey," I said, sitting down on a step to tear another handkerchief square from my skirt. "I'm going to call Regina at work now." "Don't you have a chairman to take care of things like that?" "I am the chairman," I said proudly. "Why in heaven's name did you let yourself get roped into something like that?" "I was _selected_ by Mrs. Baden!" "Obscenity," said Clay. It is his privilege, of course, to use this word. * * * * * The arty little store where Regina works has a telephane as well as a telephone, and in color, at that. So I could see Regina in full color, taking her own good time about switching on the sound. She switched on as a sort of afterthought and tilted her nose at me. I don't suppose she can really tilt her nose up and down, but she always gives that impression. "Gail has an incipient streptococcus infection," I said. "They sent her home." "_Ma_-ma!" Gail cried. "Why didn't they give her a shot there? That's what they did with my niece last year." I explained why not. Regina sighed resignedly. "Verne, people can talk you into anything. There are times when you have to be firm. I work, girl. That's why I put Gail in Playplace. I can't leave here until twelve o'clock." "But what'll I do with Gail?" "Take her back. Or you keep her until I get home. Sorry, Verne, but you got yourself into this." I switched off, furious. Then I remembered Hi-nin. I couldn't be furious. I was going to have to get Regina's cooperation. I picked up Gail and went into the bedroom. "I do not dislike Regina Crowley," I wrote with black crayola on a piece of note paper. I stuck it into a crevice of my mirror and gave Gail my bare-shoulder decorations to play with while I concentrated on thinking up reasons why I should not dislike Regina Crowley. "I do," Clay said, sneaking up so quietly I jumped two feet.