The Pinballs

By Thursday evening, Harvey is much worse. He has stopped speaking and eating and needs to be fed via a tube.

Carlie sneaks into Thomas J’s room at night with a newspaper and a flashlight. Thomas J can’t sleep without Harvey there. Carlie reveals her plan: She found an ad for free puppies. Tomorrow, they’ll go get one in secret and bring it to the hospital to surprise Harvey on his birthday. They agree to share the consequences of their covert activity should it anger the Masons.

Carlie and Thomas J sneak the puppy into Harvey’s room. They surprise him with it and sing “Happy Birthday.” At first, Harvey, expressionless, says nothing, staring at the puppy. Finally, he asks if the puppy is for him. When Carlie affirms it is, he cries uncontrollably for the first time since the accident.

A nurse hears the commotion, and they hide the puppy before she enters. Harvey is still sobbing. He asks for Cokes so the three can celebrate and then shows the nurse the puppy. She tactfully pretends not to see it lest she “have to send him out right this minute” (121).