One day, after dropping off a young boy. orphaned by the 9/11 events, at his new adopted family’s home in New Jersey, Mr. Gibbs heads to Michael’s house. He “[has] a feeling […] [that] the kid’s old man had run out” (110) on Michael and Carlos. Still glowing from the good feeling of helping out a child with no family, he wants to help Michael, too.

When he arrives at Michael’s building, he watches Michael practice throwing to his pitchback. Mr. Gibbs thinks he looks “like Koufax” (110). He observes how Michael looks “lost in what he [is] doing” (110) and thinks that “this kid is the real deal” (111). Finally, Mr. Gibbs approaches Michael to ask: “Where’s your father, really?” (111).

They play catch while Michael engages with the conversation, holding that his father is “in Florida” (111). But “Michael knew and Mr. Gibbs knew” (111) that the family hadn’t decided what town his father was supposed to visit. The two discuss how Michael’s father left long ago. Mr. Gibbs asks Michael if he’s “sure he didn’t just take off” (111), and Michael desperately wishes for Manny, Carlos, or Mrs. Cora to arrive soon.

Mr.