my mother said. I felt terrible. All I could think about was Uncle Arvie, who had disappeared on the wind. The phone rang. “Go on,” my mother said. “Answer it. I bet it’s Aunt Julia.” Reluctantly, I lifted the receiver. “Dennis? Is that you?” Aunt Julia said. “Did you happen to see a box of chocolates on the porch when you were here? Colin just phoned and said he left a box of chocolates.” “Well, I—” “I’m not suggesting that you took them!” Aunt Julia said. “Anyone could have taken them. It was silly of him to leave them there in the first place.” “Yes, well—” “I’m beginning to think he’s rather a silly man. All that business with the wasps. I never saw any wasps, did you?” she asked. “No, I—” “Exactly. I think Colin is imagining things. He’s a foolish man. Not nearly as interesting as your Uncle Arvie was. Colin is sort of a—a—” “Sort of a beany booger?” I said. “You sound just like Arvie,” Aunt Julia said. “Thank you for reminding me of him.
