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heard Sam Kingsley tellAbigail that Pat Traymore ha d a way of making you tell things younever thought you’d share with another human being.Pat had been considering what approach to take with Toby andhad decided the straightforward one was the best. As the car stoppedfor a light on Constitution Avenue, she leaned forward. There was achuckle in her voice as she said, “Toby, I have to confess I thought Iwasn’t hearing straight when you told the Senator to keep her shirton.”He turned his head to look at her directly. “Oh, I shouldn’t a saidthat first time you met me. I don’t usually do that. It’s just I knewAbby was uptight about this program business and on her way in forthe vote, and a bunch of reporters were going to be all over her aboutwhy she wasn’t going along with the rest of the party—so I figured ifI got her to let down for a minute it’d do her good. But don’tmisunderstand. I respect the lady. And don’t worry about her blowingup at me. She’ll forget it in five minutes.”“You grew up together?” Pat prodded gently.The light turned green. Smoothly the car moved forward; Toby
     
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maneuvered into the right lane ahead of a station wagon beforeanswering. “Well, not exactly that. All the kids in Apple Junction goto the same school—’cept, of course, if they go to parochial school.But she was two years ahead of me, so we were never in the sameclasses. Then when I was fifteen I started doing yard work in the richpart of town. I guess Abby told you she lived in the Saunders house.”“Yes, she did.”“I worked for the people about four places away. One day I heardAbby screaming. The old guy who lived opposite the Saunderses’had taken in his head he needed a watchdog and bought a Germanshepherd. Talk about vicious! Anyway, the old guy left the gate openand the dog got out just as Abby was coming down the street. Madestraight for her.”“And you saved her?”“I sure did. I started shouting and distracted him. Bad luck for meI’d dropped my rake, ‘cause I got half chewed to rags before I got agrip on his neck. And then”—Toby’s voice filled with pride—”andthen, no more watchdog.”With one hand, Pat slipped her tape recorder out of her shoulderbag and turned it on. “I can see why the Senator must feel prettystrongly about you,” she commented. “The Japanese believe that ifyou save someone’s life you become somehow responsible for them.Do you suppose that happened to you? It sounds to me as though youfeel responsible for the Senator.”“Well, I don’t know. Maybe that did happen, or maybe she stuckher neck out for me when we were kids.” The car stopped. “Sorry,Miss Traymore. We should a made that light, but the jerk ahead ofme is reading street signs.”“It doesn’t matter. I’m not in any hurry. The Senator stuck herneck out for you?”“I said maybe she did. Look, forget it. The Senator doesn’t likeme to talk about Apple Junction.”“I’ll bet she talks about how you helped her,” Pat mused. “I canimagine how I’d feel if an attack dog was charging at me and someonethrew himself in between.”“Oh, Abby was grateful, all right. My arm was bleeding, and shewrapped her sweater around it, then insisted on coming to theemergency room with me and even wanted to sit in while they sewedit. After that we were friends for life.”
     
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Toby looked over his shoulder. “ Friends, ” he repeatedemphatically, “not boyfriend-girlfriend. Abby’s out of my league. Idon’t have to tell you that. There was no question of any of that stuff.But sometimes in the afternoon she’d come over and talk while I wasworking around the yard. She hated Apple Junction as much as I did.And when I was flunking English, she tutored me. I never did haveany head for books. Show me a piece of machinery and I’ll take itapart and put it together in two minutes, but don’t ask me to diagrama sentence.“Anyhow, Abby went off to college and I drifted down to