Mimsy skidded to a halt in front of the porch and looked up the steps to where Evan sat engrossed with Boris Akunin’s Murder on the Leviathan and the return of Erast Fandorin.

"Summer is almost over ... I’m bored."

Evan looked up.

"Did you see the fireworks last weekend? They weren’t really that special. And they had extra money or something so they were supposed to be so good. Well that wasn't true. The ones in Florida were so much better. And it was hotter there. I went on the dueling dragons. Oh yeah ... upside-down. That was the first time I ever did that. Upside-down ... and your feet hang out. Have you ever done that? And the Tower of Terror ... I was screaming. And Spiderman with 3D glasses. We went to see the movie yesterday. Awesome. Have you seen it yet?"

Evan put his book down.

"I don’t like reading. Do you? You must. Did you get that book at the library? I have to go soon to get my summer reading books. We didn’t go to EPCOT. Know what that stands for? Every Person Comes Out Tired. It’s true. We went to the beach in Florida. It was 2 hours in the car, and 2 hours back and I was sandy and sweating. I got a wicked wedgie and there was a knot on the back of my suit rubbing my back but the pool at the hotel was gross and buggy. Is Mina your girlfriend? When is she coming over again?"

Evan smiled, nodded and shrugged.

"Did you see the police? They were here with some lady. They went into Daphne's apartment. Wouldn’t it be neat if it rained right now? I’m glad softball is over. There's some guy there that likes my mother but she won’t date any man who has boobs bigger than hers. I was so good in softball. We won and I got two of the game balls. Why does my nose run in the summer? I’m allergic to grass ... and stinky ricotti cheese. Eeeuh ... look at this. It’s rat poop ... right here on the step ... I know it is. Look. I don’t want to see this. Bye."

Evan picked up his book. He had read somewhere that dogs didn’t get bored ... why would they?