To Probe A Beating Heart by John B Wren

constantly doing things that she then did not have to do. Ellie could go out for an evening and come home to a clean house, cleaner than when she left and she knew that Charlotte was too busy with her boy friend’s to have done anything. Averell did not ask for anything in return, he seemed to be happy to simply be left alone and in charge of his own world.
                  Averell knew that Ellie left money on the kitchen table frequently only to put it away later. He decided to try something, Ellie put several bills and some change on the table and left the room. Averell took two one dollar bills from the pile and put them under the table and left the room. When Ellie returned later in the day and picked up the money to put it away, she thought it was more, but gave it little thought and put it in her purse, not realizing that it was two dollars short. She looked around the room and saw Averell sitting in the living room looking back at her. She wondered what he was doing, what he was thinking, but let it go unchallenged. She put her wallet in her purse. Then walked out of the room.
                  Averell waited for Charlotte to arrive and Ellie to leave and he went back into the kitchen and retrieved the two dollar bills he had placed under the table. He sat down in the living room and watched television until it was time for Sarah to go to bed. Then after Charlotte’s boy friend arrived and they disappeared into Ellie’s room, Averell walked out of the house and down to the woods. He sat on a log and was thinking.
                  “We could catch a rabbit or a squirrel,” suggested Stelian.
                  “No not tonight, I have to think. I need a plan,” said Averell.
                  As he sat there, three of the boys showed up with some cigarettes.
    Averell had started a fire and was absorbed in thought when he was startled by their arrival.
                  “Hey, Danker, ain’t it past your beddy time?” asked Tom.
                  “I toll you guys to cool it with Danker, he’s okay” said Frank.
                  “Actually I don’t have a beddy time, I’m allowed to do pretty much as I please” said Averell.
                  “Well ain’t you hot stuff?” said George.
                  “Yeah, kinda,” said Averell.
                  At that all four laughed. “You’re alright Danker” said Frank as he dug              out a handful of cigarettes. “Want one?”
                  “Why not?” said Averell and Frank handed him a cigarette.               “Where’s Don?”
                  “He’s in trouble with his folks,” said Tom, “they told him to do
    somethin’ an’ he argued with ‘em. So he got grounded.”
                  “Yeah and his dad probably slapped him around too,” said George.
                  “He talks?” asked Averell.
                  “Oh yeah, he don’t say much, but when he opens up, look out,” said Frank.
                  All three laughed and Frank put the cigarettes on a log.
                  “Ever had one before?” said Frank, “Straight up kid, if you have, that’s okay. If not, that’s okay too.”
                  “Well, not really, but I have wanted to try one.”
                  “Okay, here’s what you do, DO NOT inhale at first. Suck a little
    smoke into your mouth and blow it out. Do that a few times and then
    inhale a little bit, a very little bit. You’ll catch on.”
                  Averell lit his cigarette and did as Frank told him, after a little while he took a very small drag and breathed it in, and immediately blew it out. A little cough, and he was ready to try it again.
                  “That’s it Danker, little drags. You’re doin’