e each sized the other
up.

Then, "I'm glad you dropped in, Fred," Dr. Gaard smiled casually.

"I'm all mixed up," Fred said. "I know something's wrong with me. I
wanted someone to talk to, now that Dad is gone. I thought of you. I
didn't want to bother Mom. Do you really straighten out crazy people?"

"Not exactly," Curt chuckled. "A psychologist finds most of his patients
among people who are just upset about things. They aren't insane. They
just need someone who has experience to help them get their thoughts
straightened out."

"Maybe that's all I need," Fred said. "I don't _think_ I'm crazy."

"Of course you aren't. You're a very healthy-minded young man."

"I don't want Mom to know about this...."

Curt frowned, jotted something down on a notepad. It was, Fred guessed,
a notation to call his mother and warn her to keep quiet.

"Don't worry about your mother. Now tell me, just what seems to be the
trouble?" Curt smiled encouragingly.

"Are you married?" Fred asked with teen-age frankness.

"No," Curt smiled.

"Would you marry my mother?" Fred asked bluntly. "I would like for you
to be my father."

Curt Gaard stared at him a moment. "I really believe you mean that," he
said slowly. "You know, don't you, that it will be two years before she
can be free to marry? Your father can't be declared legally, ah,
departed, for two years."

"No. I didn't know," Fred said, real dismay on his face. He hadn't known
about that. He thought rapidly. "Then can I come live with you? Just
until Mom can marry you?" Inwardly he was enjoying this. And he hoped he
wasn't overdoing it.

"We can't do that," Curt said. "I'll tell you what we can do, though.
I'll invite myself out to dinner tomorrow evening. Don't say anything.
I'll surprise your mother. And we'll see a lot of each other from now
on. Okay?"

Fred nodded. It was definitely okay. He wanted to be present when Curt
Gaard disappeared into thin air, and this way he had a chance.

* * * * *

He left Curt's office highly exhilarated, almost drunk with the emotion
of things working right. It lasted until the following evening when the
doctor showed up and he and Fred's mother put on their little act. Then
his emotions swung the other way. He experienced a reluctance to go
through with his plans. There was too much that was likeable about the
man. And his mother did like him.

"Poor Dad," Fred thought.

After dinner the next evening