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"But Thelma you call Mom?"

"She wanted it that way from the start," I said. "You know what? You're right:'

"What?"

"You are nosy."

She laughed. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Bernie Felder. I have a feeling you two will, get along real well. Bernie's a genius, too."

"I'm not a genius," I corrected.

"Whatever." She sped up, and we walked to another ranch-style house with a brick facade. It looked like an expensive house. The landscaping was more elaborate than most, and the house was almost twice the size of Karl and Thelma's.

"What do Bernie's parents do?" I asked.

"His father owns a big tire store that services trucks," she said. "Bernie's an only child, like you."

"What about you?"

"I have a younger brother I ignore," she said "My parents named him William, but they call him Buster."

"Buster?"

"When you see him, you'll see why. He looks like a Buster, and he's always busting things," she added. "Come on." She headed for the front door.

"Maybe we should call first," I said, but she pushed the door buzzer.

"I'd rather be unexpected," she said "It's more fun."

A maid answered the door, and Helga asked for Bernie. A few moments later, a boy about my height with straggly red hair and light green eyes appeared. He wore a T-shirt that looked two sizes too big and a pair of jeans with sneakers and no socks. His face was pale with full red lips and a cleft chin.

"Hi, Bernie," Helga said.

He grimaced. "What do you want?" he demanded. "That's not a very nice way to say hello," she remarked.

"I was in the middle of something," he said apologetically.

"You're not making bombs, are you? My mother always thinks Bernie's making bombs," she told me.

When she turned to me, Bernie finally looked my way, and his face filled with interest. "Who's this?"

"Our new neighbor, Bernie. If you hadn't jumped down my throat, I would have been able to introduce you."

"I'm sorry," he said, turning to me. "Hello." "Hello. I'm sorry we

interrupted you, but . ." "It's all right." He looked embarrassed.

"Of course it's all right. What could Bernie be doing that can't be interrupted?" Helga asked.

"Whatever it is, it's important to him," I remarked dryly. She smirked, but Bernie's face softened. "You just moved here?" he asked.

"If you didn't have your nose in a test tube all the time, you would have known about her," Helga said. "Her name is Crystal, and the Morrises adopted her."

"Oh?" he said, his lips forming a little circle as he gazed at me with even more interest.

"She was an orphan," Helga added. She stepped back to look at me. They both stared a moment, neither speaking.

"That's orphan, not alien;' I said, and Bernie smiled.