security； with Daddy's
selfimage feelings of guilt and anger and the fear of what was to bee of
them…but the two main things on her mind right now were that Daddy had had a
breakdown in the mountains （then why doesn't he call？） or that Daddy had gone
off to do the Bad Thing。 Danny knew perfectly well what the Bad Thing was since
Scotty Aaronson； who was six months older； had explained it to him。 Scotty knew
because his daddy did the Bad Thing； too。 Once； Scotty told him； his daddy had
punched his mom right in the eye and knocked her down。 Finally； Scotty's dad and
mom had gotten a DIVORCE over the Bad Thing； and when Danny had known him；
Scotty lived with his mother and only saw his daddy on weekends。 The greatest
terror of Danny's life was DIVORCE； a word that always appeared in his mind as a
sign painted in red letters which were covered with hissing； poisonous snakes。
In DIVORCE； your parents no longer lived together。 They had a tug of war over
you in a court （tennis court？ badminton court？ Danny wasn't sure which or if it
was some other； but Mommy and Daddy had played both tennis and b