"She's playing in the all-star game Friday."
"You told me that." he said
"It's sure to be an exciting game. Would you like to go?" I asked quickly. "We'd be going with my sister's roommate."
He stared a moment. I held my breath.
"I've never gone to a girls' basketball game."
"They don't play like girls. You'd be surprised how exciting it gets, and when you see my sister play..."
He started to laugh. "Okay," he said when my face began to sink into itself. I imagined I sounded like a little fool. "I will go, but I buy my own ticket."
"My sister gets six free ones.. I'm sure there will be one for vou."
"If there isn't, you tell me," he said.
"Understood?"
"Yes, of course."
"Now we'll look at something called castling," he said. "The king is permitted to take part in a very special move, the only chess move that actually involves two pieces at the same time. To castle..."
"Move the king two squares toward the rook and then move the rook to the square immediately on the other side of the king," I recited.
He looked up with surprise, and I smiled at him.
"You did do some studying," he said, impressed again.
Mama used to say she won Daddy's heart through his stomach because of her cooking. Here I was hopefully winning Peter's heart through chess.
"When can't you castle?" he asked. He sat back, folding his arms across his chest.
"When?" I panicked. I had absolutely no idea. I had only memorized the term to impress him. I shook my head.
"Why do it. anyway? When does it make strategic sense?" Again. I shook my head.
"Go too far out in a stream before you learn completely how to swim, and you'll get washed away with the current,'" he warned. Then he smiled. "It's all right. If you knew all that, I wouldn't be able to be your teacher today."
My smile returned. He rose and went to his CD player to turn on some music. It was very different but very interesting.
"What is that?"
"Cherokee music. Indian flute." he said. "Do you like it?"
"Yeah, much."
"Good. Back to castling," he said. "now that I'm with an expert."
We went on for almost another hour before I realized how late it had gotten and practically leaped out of my seat.
"I've got to get home." I said, recalling how Brenda and Celia had given me the third degree the day before.
"I'm sorry, I let carried away myself." he said, rising. "Especially if I'm working with someone who is genuinely interested and listening,"
I smiled, even though in my heart of hearts, I knew I was here not because of chess but because of him. If he had any such suspicion, he didn't reveal it.
"Don't forget your dream catcher,'" he said, holding it out. He walked me to the door and out to the car.