Al Capone Does My Shirts: Chapter 15: Looking for Scarface Summary & Analysis

It’s hot like summer the next day, and on the boat home, Annie says they’re meeting after school to watch the convicts walk to the cell house. Moose gets home to find that Mom and Natalie have clearly had a hard day. Moose asks if Mom doesn’t think it’s mean to take Natalie’s buttons away, but Mom says they have to try to follow Mrs. Kelly’s advice. Once Mom is gone, Moose grabs his swim trunks and tells Natalie to follow him. Natalie, though, goes to her room and puts on her bathing suit. The warden said girls can’t wear suits—but how does Moose explain that to Natalie, who’s used to wearing her suit when it’s hot? She just says, “Moose cool,” and doesn’t seem to understand when Moose says she has “girl parts” to cover up.

Moose puts his corduroys back on and hands Natalie her dress, but she hands it back. Moose is so frustrated—he can’t look like a “goody-goody,” and he wants to see the convicts. Natalie starts to take her suit off, so Moose leaves her alone. When he turns back around, she’s in the living room totally naked. She lays down on the cool kitchen floor. They have five minutes until they absolutely have to leave, so Moose promises Natalie her buttons if she puts her dress and underwear on. He promises to take her swimming later if she gets dressed, and Natalie agrees. She follows Moose outside, but she insists on rubbing her toe on the pavement and counting birds. They’re late to the parade grounds because of this—nobody is there.

Moose leads Natalie along, certain the others can’t be too far ahead. Then, he hears Annie and Piper ahead; Piper is clearly working on a plan to get inside the cell house and shake hands with Al Capone. Natalie trips on a bush, startling Annie and Piper out of their hiding place. Annie explains that Mrs. Mattaman had a baby boy named Rocky, so Theresa and Jimmy are entertaining their cousins. Piper asks if Mom can watch Natalie, but Moose mutters that she teaches piano lessons daily. Natalie fans herself with her dress, revealing her underwear.

Piper leads Annie, Moose, and Natalie along single file. Suddenly, this seems like a terrible idea to Moose. They reach a tall chain-link fence and beyond it are the steps up to the recreation yard. Piper pulls out a key and fiddles with the lock, and Annie kindly explains that they do this often and it’s fine. The convicts can’t see them from where they stand, but they have to get in position now. Moose says he and Natalie will stay here, so Piper and Annie continue on. To Moose’s surprise, Natalie huddles down with him, and Moose is glad she’s here—Piper would’ve been pushier had Moose been on his own. After a few minutes, Moose hears footsteps and sees a line of convicts walking up the steps. He tells Natalie that one of them is Al Capone. Natalie is now behind Moose, organizing dirt into piles.