Late one Saturday night, Tucker Mouse sits at the entrance of his drainpipe home in the Times Square subway station, people watching. Tucker particularly watches Mario Bellini, a young boy who works at his parents’ newspaper stand. Papa Bellini built the small stand himself. In addition to the newspapers and magazines, the stand is just big enough for a stool to sit on, a shelf with a radio, a jammed-open cash register, and box of Kleenex. Mario works hard to make any sale he can, though this late there are few trains and fewer customers. Mario knows all the conductors who drive the shuttle trains on this level of the station. One train arrives, but no passengers stop to buy anything. Paul, the conductor, chats briefly with Mario and purposely overpays him for a newspaper. Tucker approves: He likes Mario and people who are kind to Mario. The train loudly pulls away. Tucker is about to go to bed when he hears an unfamiliar sound.

In the silent station, Mario also hears—and recognizes—the strange sound, which he heard once before on a visit to Long Island. Mario patiently tracks the sound to a pile of debris in a corner.