Appearances

"Bye-bye, Ricky!"

Harold stopped halfway down the front walk and closed his eyes. "Would you please stop calling me that?" he said.

"Have a good day at school." Mona waved from the porch.

"My name is Harold Gaines. I'm a fifty-three-year-old accountant. I'm not your son Ricky, dammit."

"Oh! Your lunch!" Mona trotted down, brandishing a paper sack that leaked jelly. She pecked Harold's cheek.

Harold sighed and trudged to the bus stop. Suzy was playing with her blond pigtails.

"It's like no one really sees me," he told her. "Just whatever they expect to see."

"Lo siento," Suzy rumbled.

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