He handed him a receipt marked paid in full, and let my son understand, in his own accountant’s language, that the debt of the man of the house had been retired, and that he was free.

“Ordered it three weeks ago,” Sal said gruffly, before either of us could speak.

“I used to watch you stare at it through that shop window on your way in every Saturday.

I thought you were just a kid mooning over a toy.

I had no idea what you were really doing with your money, son, or what you were giving up.

You earned this ten times over.