The author describes his move to Arizona and his happiness at being reunited with his six cousins. His mother found a job as a hospital secretary and an apartment intended for seniors. Sadly, shortly after they arrived, Aunt Ruth and the kids abruptly left Arizona and returned to Manhasset. While she never explained, Moehringer guesses that she fought with her husband and left him yet again.

Moehringer recounts how he and his mother struggled to adjust to the new climate and neighborhood with no remaining connections in town. His mother suggested that he return to Manhasset for the summer so she could work overtime and he could visit his cousins. He agreed. The author remembers that his Uncle Charlie took him under his wing that summer and introduced him to his closest friends, all regulars at Dickens. Somewhat resentful of having to be a childminder, Uncle Charlie continued to allow Moehringer, and his cousin McGraw, to join him and his Dickens friends on their outings.

Moehringer felt a fascination with the men’s friendship; their lively storytelling, overlapping conversation, and nicknames were new and exciting to him. He notes that this multitude of male voices reminded him of The

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