I hated to admit it, but that old lady convinced me that she was what she said she was. I figured she had one of those minds that could absorb a zillion facts and never get one confused or mixed-up.

She offered to buy us all a coke and that's one thing we didn't ever turn down. When she paid for the sodas I gawked at the roll of bills, which reminded me again of my main goal. I knew I couldn't steal the money off her, since she knew my real name but I still thought I could con at least a good part of it out of her.

Monk and the other guys drifted off after awhile and I put my first scheme into action. I told her I needed some books to read and that they would cost more money than I could afford. When she offered to go with me to the book store and buy them I shied off. I didn't really want any damn books! I wanted the money. Not one to drag my feet, I immediately launched a second hustle.

"There is this guy, Bonnie, who is a good friend of mine. He isn't Jewish or anything like that, but we are really close and he needs some help. He's locked in all day because he lost his Honor Card and so he can't come to the Store and get decent food. I'd like to be able to buy him some stuff, hamburgers and all that, but I don't have the dough."

Net profit on the "Old Friend in Trouble" scheme was zero. I took a deep breath and launched my ace in the hole.

"Well, Bonnie, you know all about me and my family, right? Then you must know that the only one in my entire family who gives a damn about me is one of my sisters. Well, I'd like to get her a little something to show her that I care too, you know?" I almost slipped and said it was my sister's birthday, but then I remembered how much the old lady already knew and figured she would know it was a lie.

"I saw this real nice pendant that I'd like to get her, sorta shaped like a heart and all. The price was twenty-four dollars and I've saved half of that, so all I need is the other half. Can you help me out?"

Net profit on the Old "Buy Her a Locket" scheme was zero. Bonnie laughed and told me she had heard the locket spiel a dozen times in various versions. "Look Max," she said finally, "If you want a few dollars, why don't you just ask for them? Give it a try sometime, okay?"

"Yeah Bonnie, I can see that you're right. How about letting me have five bucks?"

"No."

I blew my stack! The old lady had chumped me off!

"What the hell? You said to ask didn't you? How can you stand there and tell me no after that build-up?"

"Just to show you that I can play games, too."

To hell with that old lady! I wasn't about to waste my time with Bonnie, but before I could make my exit she smiled at me and gave me five bucks.

Bonnie came around regularly after that. I always asked her for dough. Sometimes she gave it and other times she ignored my request altogether. There was no pattern and eventually I gave up trying to figure one out. She always had a good word for me though and I gradually began to like her anyway, despite the fact that she was old and ugly.

One Sunday she had a surprise for me. After the usual "hellos" she told me she had an idea I might like. Then she asked me if I would like to come to her house for a weekend.

Hell, I'd have walked through a lion's den with pork chop panties on for five minutes away from that place. I didn't know what her motives were, but I really didn't care much. I didn't know if I could handle any sexual encounter. If that was what she had in mind but I was sure I could get around that if it came up. The only important thing was to get out; everything else was minute.

We went back to K Building and talked to my social worker. I was kinda worried that Mrs. Weisenstein would make mention of my previous leave with one of the B'nai B'rith people but she didn't and I heaved a sigh of relief when Bonnie and I left the office.

I had no idea that Bonnie already knew about my one month excursion, including JoAnne's part. I only found out later just how many connections Bonnie had and the vast amount of information she had stored inside her uncanny head. When I did find out I was very impressed because she never told anyone on the hospital staff what she knew. She could have gotten us all in trouble and I had to appreciate the fact that she didn't.

On the following Friday afternoon Bonnie picked me up in a 1960 Ford wagon. It is hard to describe just how it felt to watch the gates and grounds of the hospital fade into the background as we rode away, but the feelings were heavy. People from the outside world usually shunned us and even though Bonnie was a member of one of the do-gooder organizations, there's a big difference between throwing a party for a bunch of ten-year-old kids and taking a fully-grown individual into your own home.