Things That Sneak Up On You
- After Sal gets punched that day in October, his mom lets him take a "mental health" day off from school (10.1). This means that Miranda walks home alone.
- She's worried about the Laughing Man, but, as luck would have it, the person walking behind her is the kid in the green army coat – the one that punched Sal.
- Miranda spins around and (using her rule for living in New York City) asks him what time it is.
- The boy looks back at the sky over Broadway and says, "It's three-sixteen" (10.5). The boy explains that he can tell the time because the sun went behind one of the buildings yesterday around the same time. It's October, so the days are shorter.
- He has a key too (another latchkey kid) and tells her he doesn't have a watch. Miranda is no longer afraid, but feels weird and guilty for talking to the kid who punched Sal.
- Back at the apartment building, the Laughing Man is asleep with his legs sticking out from under the mailbox.