第9部分(第6/8 頁)

he　eggs—I　hadn't　said　we　wanted

them　or　needed　them　or　liked　them—the　fact　was；　I'd

never　seen　Juli　cry　before。　Not　when　she'd　broken　her　arm　in　P。E。；　not　when　she'd　been

teased　at　school　or　ditched　by　her　brothers。　Not　even　when

they'd　cut　down　the　sycamore　tree。　I'm　pretty　sure　she　cried　then；　but　I　didn't　actually　see　it。

To　me；　Juli　Baker　had　always　been　too　tough　to　cry。

I　went　down　to　my　room　to　pack　my　stuff　for　school；　feeling　like　the　biggest　jerk　to　ever　hit　the

pla。　I'd　been　sneaking　around　throwing　out　eggs

for　over　two　years；　avoiding　her；　avoiding　my　father　—　what　did　that　make　me？　Why　hadn't　I

just　stood　up　and　said；　No　thanks；　don't　want　'em；　don't

need　'em；　don't　like　'em…。　Give　them　to　the　snake；　why　don't　you？　Something！

Was　I　really　afraid　of　hurting　her　feelings？

Or　was　I　afraid　of　her？

The　Eggs

After　they　cut　down　the　sycamore　tree；　it　seemed　like　everything　else　fell　apart；　too。　Champ

died。　And　then　I　found　out　about　the　eggs。　It　was

Champ's　time　to　go；　and　even　though　I　still　miss　him；　I　think　it's　been　easier　for　me　to　deal

with　his　death　than　it　has　been　for　me　to　deal　with　the

truth　about　the　eggs。　I　still　cannot　believe　it　about　the　eggs。

The　eggs　came　before　the　chickens　in　our　case；　but　the　dog　came　before　them　both。　One

night　when　I　was　about　six　years　old；　Dad　came　home

from　work　with　a　full…grown　do