i need to talk to the fire department , find out what they know . this was the side of her brother she liked to pretend did not exist . their patterns were set , and they stood ready . but now he knew what it was to sleep in one place with protective walls around him , without the wind or rats attacking him . madame president bing was beginning to lose his patience . and as soon as i said that , i saw ( and wondered i had not seen before ) that it made no difference . 