d to explain to
them that there was nothing wrong。 that this sometimes happened to him when he
concentrated on understanding more than what normallv came to him。 He tried to
explain about Tony； who they called his 〃invisible playmate。〃
His father had said： 〃He's having a Ha Loo Sin Nation。 He seems okay； but I
want the doctor to look at him anyway。〃
After the doctor left； Mommy had made him promise to never do that again； to
never scare them that way； and Danny had agreed。 He was frightened himself。
Because when he bad concentrated his mind； it had flown out to his daddy； and
for just a moment； before Tony had appeared （far away； as be always did； calling
distantly） and the strange things had blotted out their kitchen and the carved
roast on the blue plate； for just a moment his own consciousness had plunged
through his daddy's darkness to an inprehensible word much more frightening
than DIVORCE； and that word was SUICIDE。 Danny had never e across it again in
his daddy's mind； and he had certainly not gone looking for it。 He didn't care
if he never found out exactly what that word meant。
But he did like to concentrate； because sometimes Tony would e。 Not every
time。 Sometimes things just got woozy and swimmy for a minute and then cleared —
most times； in fact — but at other times Tony would appear at the very limit of
his vision； calling distantly and beckoning 。。。
It had happened twice since they moved to Boulder； and he remembered how
surprised and pleased he had been to find Tony had followed him all the way from
Vermont。 So all his friends hadn't been left behind after all。
The first time he had been out in