第12部分(第2/8 頁)

ackyard　is；　like；　covered　in　turds！　I　mean；　look　at　your　place；　Juli！”　He

pointed　at　our　house　and　said；　“Just　look　at　it。　It's　a

plete　dive！”

“It　is　not！”　I　cried；　but　the　truth　was　sitting　right　across　the　street；　impossible　to　deny。　My

throat　suddenly　choked　closed　and　I　found　it　painful　to

speak。　“Have　you…　always　thrown　them　away？”

He　shrugged　and　looked　down。　“Juli；　look。　We　didn't　want　to　hurt　your　feelings。”

“My　feelings？　Do　you　realize　Mrs。　Stueby　and　Mrs。　Helms　pay　me　for　my　eggs？”

“You're　kidding。”

“No！　They　pay　me　two　dollars　a　dozen！”

“No　way。”

“It's　true！　All　those　eggs　I　gave　to　you　I　could've　sold　to　Mrs。　Stueby　or　Mrs。　Helms！”

“Oh；”　he　said；　and　looked　away。　Then　he　eyed　me　and　said；　“Well；　why　did　you　just　give

them　to　us？”

I　was　fighting　back　tears；　but　it　was　hard。　I　choked　out；　“I　was　trying　to　be　neighborly…！”

He　put　down　the　trash　can；　then　did　something　that　made　my　brain　freeze。　He　held　me　by

the　shoulders　and　looked　me　right　in　the　eyes。　“Mrs。

Stueby's　your　neighbor；　isn't　she？　So's　Mrs。　Helms；　right？　Why　be　neighborly　to　us　and　not

them？”

What　was　he　trying　to　say？　Was　it　still　so　obvious　how　I　felt　about　him？　And　if　he　knew；　how

could　he　have　been　so　heartless；　just　throwing　my

eggs　away　like　that；　week　after　week；　year　after　year？

I　couldn't　find　any　words。　None　at　all。　I　just　stared　at　him；　at　t