第9部分(第4/8 頁)

or　Juli　so　I　could

whip　the　door　open　before　she　had　the　chance　to　knock　or　ring　the　bell；　and　then　I'd　bury　the

eggs　in　the　trash　before　my　dad　showed　up。

Then　came　the　day　I　blew　it。　Juli'd　actually　been　making　herself　pretty　scarce　because　it　was

around　the　time　they'd　taken　the　sycamore　tree

down；　but　suddenly　one　morning　she　was　back　on　our　doorstep；　delivering　eggs。　I　took　them；

as　usual；　and　I　went　to　chuck　them；　as　usual。　But　the

kitchen　trash　was　so　full　that　there　wasn't　any　room　for　the　carton；　so　I　put　it　on　top；　picked

up　the　trash；　and　beat　it　out　the　front　door　to　empty

everything　into　the　garbage　can　outside。

Well；　guess　who's　just　standing　there　like　a　statue　on　my　porch？

The　Egg　Chick。

I　about　spilled　the　trash　all　over　the　porch。　“What　are　you　still　doing　here？”　I　asked　her。

“I…I　don't　know。　I　was　just　…　thinking。”

“About　what？”　I　was　desperate。　I　needed　a　distraction。　Some　way　around　her　with　this

garbage　before　she　noticed　what　was　sitting　right　there　on

top。She　looked　away　like　she　was　embarrassed。　Juli　Baker　embarrassed？　I　didn't　think　it　was

possible。

………　Page　28………

Whatever。　The　golden　opportunity　to　whip　a　soggy　magazine　over　the　egg　carton　had

presented　itself；　and　buddy；　I　took　it。　Then　I　tried　to　make　a

fast　break　for　the　garbage　can　in　the　side　yard；　only　she　body…blocked　me。　Seriously。　She

step