Robbie: Morning, Grandpa.
Robbie: Is something the matter, Grandpa?
Grandpa: The editorial in this paper has my friend Nat Baker real upset.
Robbie: Ah! I'll read it to you.
Robbie: "The old library building on Chestnut Street,
Robbie: which has been vacant for over a year now,
Robbie: was supposed to be made into a community center
Robbie: to serve the senior citizens
Robbie: as well as the younger people of Riverdale.
Robbie: Due to lack of funds
Robbie: for the repainting of the interior of the building
Robbie: and for the furniture needed,
Robbie: the plans for the community center
Robbie: have been postponed indefinitely."
Grandpa: He's coming over to talk about it.
Robbie: Is it that serious a problem, Grandpa?
Grandpa: It is.
Grandpa: Nat's not as lucky as I am, Robbie.
Grandpa: He doesn't have any family with him.
Grandpa: He lives alone
Grandpa: and depends on places like a community center
Grandpa: to be with people--people his own age.
Robbie: But there's the old community center on Elm Street.
Grandpa: It's small,
Grandpa: and the problem is that it's set up primarily for kids to play.
Grandpa: Ping-Pong tables, soda machines, and lots of music.
Grandpa: It's too noisy for some older people like Nat.
Robbie: I never realized that.
Grandpa: It's hard for some older people to take all that noise.
Grandpa: That's why the new community center is a good idea.
Grandpa: Part of the building for older people,
Grandpa: part of the building for younger people.
Robbie: I see what you mean.
Grandpa: That must be Nat.
Robbie: It could be Alexandra.
Robbie: She's coming over this morning to help me with my math.
Robbie: Hi, Robbie.
Robbie: Hi, Alexandra. Come on in.
Robbie: Do you want something cold to drink?
Alexandra: I'd love some cola, please.
Robbie: Cola coming up.
Robbie: I really appreciate you coming over to help me with my math.
Robbie: My final exam is next Tuesday.
Alexandra: You're so good in all your other subjects.
Alexandra: I just can't understand
Alexandra: why you have so many problems with math.
Grandpa: Hi, Alexandra.
Alexandra: Hi, Mr. Stewart.
Grandpa: I thought that was Nat Baker who rang the front doorbell.
Grandpa: Don't let me interrupt you.
Robbie: No problem, Grandpa.
Robbie: We're just having some cola
Robbie: before getting to the tough stuff--math.
Alexandra: He'll do anything to avoid getting down to math lessons,
Alexandra: Mr. Stewart.
Grandpa: I was the same way.
Robbie: Really, Grandpa?
Grandpa: Really. I didn't like math.
Grandpa: I wasn't good at it, and I didn't like studying it.
Alexandra: But you had to be good at math.
Alexandra: You graduated from engineering school.
Grandpa: I was. But not in high school.
Grandpa: For some reason, I couldn't get a handle on it.
Grandpa: Then, in college, I became good at it.
Alexandra: Then there's hope for Robbie.
Robbie: I can't wait.
Robbie: You think I can just skip it now and get to it at college?
Grandpa: You'll never get to college to find out, Robbie,
Grandpa: if you skip it now.
Grandpa: That must be Nat.
Alexandra: Sit down, Robbie. Let's get to work.
Grandpa: I'd like you to meet my friend Nat Baker.
Grandpa: This is Alexandra Pappas, and this is my grandson Robbie,
Grandpa: whom I think you've met once or twice before.
Alexandra: Nice to meet you, Mr. Baker.
Robbie: Hi, Mr. Baker. We met before.
Nat Baker: Where?
Robbie: In town. At the hardware store.
Nat Baker: I remember now. Right. Hi.
Nat Baker: Hello, Alexandra.
Grandpa: Don't let us keep you from your math tutoring, Robbie.
Grandpa: I know you want to get to it.
Robbie: Stay ... stay.
Alexandra: I told you. He'll use any excuse to avoid math.
Nat Baker: Did you read the story in the paper, Malcolm?
Grandpa: I did.
Nat Baker: It's a serious matter for a lot of us.
Nat Baker: A serious matter.
Grandpa: It is. Come on out to the patio.
Grandpa: We'll talk about it out there.
Nat Baker: Thanks. Nice to meet you ... again.
Robbie: What's the problem?
Alexandra: Come on! You'll hear about it.