第9部分(第5/8 頁)

ped　right　in　my　way　and　put　her　arms　out　like　she's

guarding　the　goal。

She　chased　me　and　blocked　me　again。　“What　happened？”　she　wants　to　know。　“Did　they

break？”

Perfect。　Why　hadn't　I　thought　of　that？　“Yeah；　Juli；”　I　told　her。　“And　I'm　real　sorry　about　that。”

But　what　I'm　thinking　is；　Please；　God；　oh　please；　God；

let　me　make　it　to　the　garbage　can。

God　must've　been　sleeping　in。　Juli　tackled　the　trash　and　pulled　out　her　precious　little　carton

of　eggs；　and　she　could　tell　right　off　that　they　weren't

broken。　They　weren't　even　cracked。

She　stood　frozen　with　the　eggs　in　her　hands　while　I　dumped　the　rest　of　the　trash。　“Why　did

you　throw　them　out？”　she　asked；　but　her　voice　didn't

sound　like　Juli　Baker's　voice。　It　was　quiet。　And　shaky。

So　I　told　her　we　were　afraid　of　salmonella　poisoning　because　her　yard　was　a　mess　and　that

we　were　just　trying　to　spare　her　feelings。　I　told　it　to

her　like　we　were　right　and　she　was　wrong；　but　I　felt　like　a　jerk。　A　plete　cluck…faced　jerk。

Then　she　tells　me　that　a　couple　of　neighbors　have　been　buying　eggs　off　her。　Buying　them。

And　while　I'm　ing　to　grips　with　this　incredible　bit　of

news；　she　whips　out　her　mental　calculator。　“Do　you　realize　I've　lost　over　a　hundred　dollars

giving　these　eggs　to　you？”　Then　she　races　across　the

street　in　a　flood　of　tears。

As　much　as　I　tried　to　tell　myself　that　I　hadn't　asked　her　for　t