if they do have one, they must know we have the Iroquois coming online.”
“That’s true, but I guess it all comes down to who’s the farthest ahead,” Fowler said.
“Well, let’s not get too worked up,” Emily interjected. “After all, we’re only speculating.”
Joe sipped his tea before saying, “I think Emily’s right, and in a way, it’s good news because it demonstrates that the threat of everyone suddenly switching to a missile defence is overstated.”
Robbie couldn’t help grinning. He still found it strange and thrilling that it was his mother down there talking with all those experts as an equal.
Five
Robbie was surprised when he didn’t oversleep that Saturday morning. He even startled his mother by appearing in the kitchen fully dressed before she finished making breakfast. Emily turned from the stove and smiled at her son. “You woke up early for a change.”
“I suppose I’m getting used to it.” Robbie’s mother, of course, had no idea he was referring to his late-night listening sessions.
But Emily wasn’t the only one astonished by Robbie’s sudden embrace of early rising. When Billy arrived that morning as usual at Robbie’s house, his jaw dropped and he nearly fell off his bike when he saw his friend already outside, waiting. “Who kicked you out of bed?”
“No one. I guess I just need less sleep.”
“Anything new on the plane?”
“You bet. But let’s ride and I’ll tell you when we get to the park.”
When they arrived at High Park, Robbie led the way into some trees and propped his bike against a big maple. Billy slid onto the crossbar of his bike, leaned forward on the handlebars, and asked, “Now what’s the latest?”
“The Americans are going to build a long-range supersonic jet fighter of their own.”
“So what?”
“Everyone’s puzzled because the Americans were saying a while ago that ballistic missiles made fighters obsolete. So the people at our house last night were trying to figure out what the Americans are up to. My mom says the missile story was obviously a lot of baloney.”
“Boy, what a neat mom you have! She sure is clever.”
Robbie beamed with pride.
“Hey,” Billy said, “I keep forgetting to ask you something. Do you play softball?”
“Sure. Why? Do you play for a team?”
“Just a local one. It’s run by a bloke named Bud. He owns an Esso gas station, and the team’s called the Esso Canucks.” Billy grinned. “Actually I’m not that good. I never even heard of baseball until I came to Canada. But I love playing it. We’re finished this season, of course, but I can get you in for next year if you like.”
“That would be great, Billy. Count me in.”
When Robbie arrived home, he was alarmed to discover one of the men from the Friday meetings sitting at the kitchen table with his mother. They were both drinking tea and laughing about something. As he came through the back door, his mother turned and smiled. “Oh, Robbie, this is Mr. Wilkie. He works with me at Avro.”
Robbie almost blurted “I know” but caught himself in time and stepped forward. “How are you, sir?”
“Fine, Robbie. But please call me Joe.”
“Joe has something he’d like to ask you, Robbie.”
“Me?” Robbie said, surprise obvious in his voice.
Joe cleared his throat. “Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to go to Maple Leaf Gardens with me tonight. I’ve got a couple of tickets for the game.”
“You mean see the Leafs and the Canadiens...and the Rocket?” Robbie almost shouted.
Joe furrowed his brow. “The Rocket?”
Emily smiled again. “Rocket Richard, Joe, the most famous player in all of hockey. He plays for the Montreal Canadiens.”
“Hmm, I think I’d better put a condition on this invitation.”
Robbie’s face clouded with apprehension, but Joe grinned quickly and slapped him on the shoulder. “Stop worrying. It’s not that serious. My condition is that you teach me all about this game of hockey because, obviously, I haven’t a clue. I only know English football and cricket.”
“No problem, sir...Joe. I can tell you everything there is about hockey.”
“Then it’s settled.”
Emily got to her feet. “Okay, you two, if you’re all done, how about some lunch?”
Throughout the meal Robbie glanced surreptitiously at both his mother and Joe. It was the first time ever that a man, apart from his grandfather, had sat at their table, and Robbie wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Although he already knew he liked Joe Wilkie, he was still a bit disturbed by this turn of events.
By the time lunch was over, however, Robbie’s unease had completely vanished, and he was warming up to Joe more and more. “Mom, can I go and tell Billy about going to the hockey game? He’s going to flip when he hears.”
“Of course,” Emily said.
“Joe, wait’ll you see the Rocket and Doug Harvey and Jean Béliveau and Boom Boom Geoffrion and Jacques Plante and—”
“What about the Maple Leafs?” Joe asked. “Don’t they have star players, too? And shouldn’t you be cheering for them since you live in Toronto now?”
Robbie stared at Joe in disbelief. “Boy, do I have a lot to teach you. Everybody knows the Canadiens are the greatest team that ever played.”
That first hockey game with Joe proved to be the beginning of a wonderful winter for Robbie, marred only slightly by the “duty” Christmas visit to his grandparents in Montreal. But even that was tempered by the superb new pair of ice skates presented to him by Joe just before the Englishman returned home to spend Christmas with his family.
Armed with his new skates, Robbie spent most of his time in Montreal at the local rink renewing old friendships. But he was surprised at how much he missed Joe and their regular trips to the Gardens to see the Leafs in action. Robbie found himself wishing away the days until his return to Toronto so that he and Joe could pick up where they had left off.
The rest of the winter went by in a flash, and before Robbie knew it, the cherry and apple blossoms were blooming in the trees, the Canadiens were well on their way to another Stanley Cup, and he was trying on his Esso Canucks little-league uniform.
