Alameda

Alameda was the housekeeper who worked for the Decker family when Theo was a small child, living with them in their old apartment on Seventh Avenue. She is recalled in a single, vivid memory: when Theo, at about four years old, became partially stuck inside a Murphy bed and would have suffocated if Alameda had not heard his muffled cries and pulled him out. This incident, which Theo describes as "not really" humorous despite its surface absurdity, left a lasting impression of her as a rescuer in a moment of genuine peril.

Role in the Household and Departure

Alameda was part of the household during a period when Theo's father was still present, though already unreliable and prone to drinking. Her presence provided a layer of care and safety that later vanished. After Larry Decker abandoned the family, Theo's mother, Audrey, was forced to let Alameda go because they could no longer afford to pay her. Alameda cried at the news and offered to stay and work for free, but Audrey found her a part-time job in the building with a couple who had a baby. Even after leaving the Deckers' employ, Alameda remained connected: once a week or so, she would stop in to visit Audrey for a cup of coffee, still wearing the smock she used when cleaning.

Narrative Significance

Alameda appears only in Theo's retrospective narration, never in the present action of the story. She represents the stable, nurturing domestic order that existed before his father's departure and his mother's death—a world of reliable care that was dismantled piece by piece. Her willingness to work for free and her continued visits afterward underscore the loyalty and affection that Audrey inspired in those who worked for her, standing in stark contrast to the coldness and transactional relationships Theo later encounters.