The basement was not a very comfortable place but, despite the disorder, it was generally clean, free from bugs and cool in summer. It had become Kim’s refuge and retreat during the past couple of weeks. As the heat, humidity and, most significantly, boredom had increased, he had spent more and more time prowling around in the perpetual deep shade of the basement. Some of the rejected old stuff with which the basement was crammed held a certain fascination for a 15_ year old boy bored with summer vacation.

At first, he had dragged out some of the old toys, board games, his Little League baseball glove, fishing tackle, each item of which offered a few minutes of nostalgic distraction. He set up the rowing machine one afternoon and imagined himself sculling across the glassy surface of a river, then pulled out a fishing rod and trolled for old dolls and dirty laundry.