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PROLOGUE

Nina’s Untrained Ear

“Octopus,” said Angeline Persopolis

She was only a baby It was the first word she ever said, which hy it was preposterous

Nina, Angeline’seyes opened even wider “Abel!” she screa She said her first word! Abel!”

“Wha’d she say?” asked Angeline’s father as he rushed into the living rooeline lay in her crib

Nina suddenly looked very confused

“Coed Abel, “what did she say?”

Nina looked oddly at her husband “She said…octopus?”

“Octopus?” questioned Abel

They turned and looked at Angeline, who lay peacefully sucking her thumb

Abel called the doctor because, well, he didn’t knohat else to do It was she, the doctor, who said it was “preposterous” She told the to worry about She said that Angeline was onlysimple baby noises—“ock” and “tuh” and “puss”—and that it was just a coincidence that it had happened to sound like “octopus” to Nina’s untrained ear

Angeline’s parents were satisfied They realized it had to be a coincidence because, after all, Angeline had never seen an octopus, and they couldn’t re “octopus” in front of her In fact, they couldn’t re “octopus” at all