The Secret Book Club by Ann M. Martin Page B

this stifling day when people in Camden Falls hustled from one air-conditioned building to another and complained about the heat in between, turned out to be a very bad day for Robby Edwards. He became confused when making change for a customer (before Robby had finished the transaction, the customer had handed him a ten-dollar bill and asked if Robby could give him a five and five ones, and also use one of the ones to buy a chocolate-chip cookie), and he was forced to call on Mr. Walter for help. Later, he was hauling a box of wooden picture frames to a display shelf, and just as he reached the shelf, the bottom of the box gave way and forty frames crashed to the floor, the glass in two of them breaking.
    â€œEmergency!” Robby cried, horrified.
    â€œDon’t worry. Accidents happen,” said Mrs. Walter. “That wasn’t your fault.”
    And Mr. Walter added, “At least it wasn’t a box of those.” He pointed to a selection of expensive hand-painted glass ornaments that had recently arrived.
    Robby tried to smile, but as he tackled the shards of glass with a dustpan and broom, he had the feeling that people walking by the store at that moment would see him and think, Retard.
    â€œTime for your lunch break,” said Mr. Walter gently when the mess had been cleared up. “Go relax for a while.”
    Humiliated, Robby ate a solitary lunch in the kitchen. The Walters were too busy to join him, and Robby was relieved. He used the quiet time to have a talk with himself, pointing out that it had just been a bad morning, and that when his lunch break was over, he could start fresh and try to pretend that the events of the morning hadn’t taken place.
    When Robby emerged from the kitchen, he found that Sincerely Yours was as crowded as he’d ever seen it.
    â€œEveryone’s escaping from the heat,” he overheard Mrs. Walter say.
    Without being told, Robby began to answer customers’ questions. He directed them to new merchandise. He told Mrs. Walter when the chocolates in the candy counter were running low. When he noticed that no one was manning the cash register, he took it over. He rang up purchases and made change for nearly half an hour — without needing any help whatsoever.
    His shift was almost over, the store still crowded, when a young man approached the cash register, reached into a Sincerely Yours shopping bag he was carrying, and removed the tissue paper that was protecting a glass rosebud. “Excuse me,” he said to Robby, “I bought this this morning” (he pointed first to the rosebud and then to the display of painted ornaments)“and, well, my wife said it was too expensive and that I have to return it.” He laughed uncomfortably.
    Robby, peering at the display, saw that sure enough, one of the ornaments was missing. “Okay,” said Robby.
    â€œSo do you think I could have my money back? All the ornaments are the same price, I’m pretty sure. The total came to eighty-five dollars even.”
    â€œOkay,” said Robby again. He placed the ornament carefully on a shelf below the cash register, then opened the drawer, withdrew four twenty-dollar bills and one five, and handed them to the customer.
    â€œThank you, sir,” said the man solemnly, and he left the store.
    Robby carried the ornament back to the shelf and placed it in the empty spot between a glass bell and a glass bird.
    â€œWas someone interested in that?” asked Mr. Walter.
    â€œThe man who bought it this morning returned it,” Robby answered. “I gave him his money back.”
    Mr. Walter pursed his lips. “I don’t remember selling one of those. I don’t think we’ve sold any of them yet. Did the customer show you his receipt?”
    Robby’s gaze traveled to the floor. “No. But he had the ornament. He returned it,” he said again. “In one of our shopping bags.”
    â€œWendy?” Mr. Walter