Calvin Read Online Free PDF

ability to work hard?
    Susie: One you’re born with. The other you develop as you mature.
    Me: There’s always a trick, isn’t there.
    Susie: I’m going to tell your mom.
    Me: If you do, she won’t let me go.
    Susie: Did you honestly think you could let me in on this and I wouldn’t tell?
    Me: They’ll say I’m a danger to myself. They’ll keep me in the hospital forever.
    Susie: You are!
    Me: You know I can do it.
    Susie started shaking her head. Just a little shake, back and forth, while I talked.
    Me: I was a Boy Scout, remember? You made fun of me?
    She kept shaking her head like a bobblehead.
    Me: I love to camp, even in the winter. You know that.
    She stopped shaking her head.
    Susie: You’re really serious about this.
    Me: I’m going to do it. You could make it hard for me, or easier.
    Susie: What if you had a … a breakdown out there?
    Me: I’m already broken. This is about putting the pieces back together.
    Susie’s hands were quiet at the ends of her arms. That was so cool about her. Other girls were always touching their hair or checking their nails or their phones or gesturing when they talked. Susie could be so still.
    Susie: You didn’t have to tell me.
    Me: No.
    Susie: You told me because you trusted me.
    I shrugged, which meant, was I wrong?
    She almost smiled, which meant, no.
    Hobbes: You’ve never really understood women.
    Me: Could you please just go away?
    Hobbes: I want it to be like old times.
    Me: It’s not socially acceptable at my age to have an imaginary friend.
    Hobbes: Do we care?
    Me: I care! I hear you because I’m sick! I’m sick because I hear you!
    Susie: I’m going to be kind and assume you’re not talking to me.
    Me: I’m leaving. Now. Before my parents show up.
    Susie: I’m coming with you.
    And that’s when I realized she probably wasn’t any more real than Hobbes.

 
    I got dressed and grabbed my parka and walked into the hall with Susie.
    Me: Pretend you’re just a visitor.
    Susie: I am just a visitor.
    Me: Pretend I’m just a visitor.
    We sauntered behind two adults like they were our parents. Hobbes padded just behind me. I couldn’t look right at him no matter how fast I turned my head, but as we walked toward the door I saw his front paw, which was twice as big as my foot. I knew he wasn’t there but mostly he was.
    Nobody stopped us or even looked at us until the soldier guy passed us in the hall. He saluted, and his arm fell.
    Soldier guy: You’re escaping.
    Me: Yeah.
    Soldier guy: You’re going without me.
    Me: I have to.
    Soldier guy: Come back for me.
    Me: I will.
    I saluted him and he saluted me, and Susie and Hobbes and I walked out of the ward doors behind some adults, just like that.
    It occurred to me as we were walking that the soldier guy hadn’t said anything to or about Susie. I stared at her, but her face didn’t morph—okay, it was a bit woozy, but she was still pretty in a mean sort of way.
    Me: Be gone, image.
    Susie (sighing): I’m not an image.
    Me: Images say things like that.
    We found a cab waiting at the front doors of the hospital.
    Susie: Where are we going?
    Me: Campers Heaven.
    She nodded.
    It made no sense that this cute girl who had lots of friends and was good in school and who could probably have any guy she wanted was coming with me someplace. It also made no sense that Hobbes was in the backseat with us. I still couldn’t see him, but somehow I knew he was there. I felt like you do in a dream where you realize you’re dreaming and you think, well, as long as I’m dreaming …
    *   *   *
    We stopped at the bank on the way and then asked the cabdriver to wait outside while we were in Campers Heaven. The store smelled like tents and leather boots and granola, and I felt weirdly happy for the first time in what seemed like a long time.
    Clerk: Hi, there. Can I help you with