His raincoat was soaked in the first two steps he took. The water pooled so that he had to jump from high spot to high spot to keep his shoes from sinking into the muddy yard. His glasses to fog over and by the time he had crossed the front lawn, he was soaked to the skin. But there was something about being out in this deluge that made Gary feel invigorated, almost rejuvenated.

When he was a child, living near the concrete aqueducts of Houston, he remembered fishing for Alligator Gar after huge downpours brought them out of the streams and rivers. He and his brother would wade waist-high in the water and seine the water for the fish. Most of the time they only caught garbage and buffalo fish but once they had caught a thirty five pound alligator gar. It had taken both boys to lug the fish home, where Gary's father promised to have it mounted, but never did. Then, Gary remembered, rain had been a good thing. Rain had been clean and fresh. Rain was all right.

The neighbor's house was dark as Gary stood on the broad, dry porch and looked into the cut glass windows beside the large white door. He didn't see Laura's rain coat on the hooks in the hallway and her rubber boots weren't on the porch anywhere. He rang the doorbell twice before a large black woman answered the door.

"Hi, I'm Gary Trevin, the neighbor,"he said. The woman peered at him, her body half-hidden by the open door. "I'm here to get Laura for supper."

"Uh-huh,"she said. "I think Mrs. Greathouse was about to take them for pizza. Come on in and see for yourself."

Gary peeled his coat off and sucked his feet from his wet shoes. "You better get me a towel. I'm soaked."

"How you got so wet walking from one door over, I'll never understand,"the woman said.

From the outside, the Greathouse's home looked like several other houses in the neighborhood, but the inside was richly decorated. The entrance hall to the house was furnished in Williamsburg antiques. The floors were of smooth, red hardwood, without any nicks or scratches. There were portraits of the Greathouse children above the stairs, each with a doll and flowered dress. Mr. and Mrs. Greathouse had three daughters, all between 6 and 10. Laura was 8, making her a perfect playmate for their girls. Gary hesitated by the door until the maid said,"Come on back into the kitchen, and I'll get Mrs. Greathouse. The girls are playing upstairs."

The kitchen was as well furnished as the rest of the home, with wide beams running the length of the ceiling. The stove was stainless steel and looked brand new. There was wood paneling on the refrigerator that matched the floors. Gary walked to the French doors that opened out to the back yard. He could see the Koi struggling in the puddle beside the brick goldfish pond. Beyond that, the stream was slowly rising beyond its banks.

"Gary?" a tall thin woman said. She wore a simple, red jumpsuit and had short dark hair. "Trudy told me about you. Connie Greathouse, nice to meet you."

Gary extended his hand and said,"Nice to finally meet you. It's amazing to live beside someone for two years and not meet them."

"Yes, it is. I thought I'd take the girls to one of those pizza places with the games and toys. They've been cooped up all day." There was a pleasant tone about the woman, but Gary thought she seemed shocked to see him there, dripping and shoeless.

"Well, I don't know,"Gary said. "Trudy was cooking and I haven't seen Laura much today."

Laura came bounding down the stairs, followed by Berkeley, the Greathouse's 6 year old. "Daddy, Mrs. Connie said we could go to Funhouse Pizza! Can we?"

Laura and Berkeley jumped up and down in circles singing "Funhouse, funhouse, funhouse." Mrs. Greathouse smiled.

"Well, mom has made supper, and her feelings might be hurt,"Gary started as Laura jumped. "I'm not so sure about this idea."

"Mom said I could go, Daddy!" Laura said as she began to pout. "Why can't I go?"

"I've already said why."

"Mommy said! Please, daddy? Please please please?"

"Really, it's no problem," Connie said, smiling awkwardly. "I've taken them there plenty of times this summer. Laura's always good as gold for me."

"I guess it's all right but I need a kiss before you go," Gary said, but Laura was already gone. He patted his back pocket. "My wallet is next door."

"No sir, I asked Laura to come with us---I'll pay," she said. "You and Trudy need the time alone."

"What do you mean?"

"The job hunt. Trudy told me all about it. My husband has his ear out for you."