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shes
or vacuuming; but my mother didn't agree。 And the
danger of being home alone with her was that she'd recruit me to help her wash or dust or
vacuum; and she wouldn't tolerate the dribbling of a
soccer ball around the house as I moved from chore to chore。
To play it safe; I waited outside for weeks; just in case the new neighbors moved in early。
Literally; it was weeks。 I entertained myself by playing
soccer with our dog; Champ。 Mostly he'd just block because a dog can't exactly kick and
score; but once in a while he'd dribble with his nose。 The
scent of a ball must overwhelm a dog; though; because Champ would eventually try to
chomp it; then lose the ball to me。
When the Loskis' moving van finally arrived; everyone in my family was happy。 “Little
Julianna” was finally going to have a playmate。
My mother; being the truly sensible adult that she is; made me wait more than an hour
before going over to meet him。 “Give them a chance to
stretch their legs; Julianna;” she said。 “They'll want some time to adjust。” She wouldn't even
let me watch from the yard。 “I know you; sweetheart。
Somehow that ball will wind up in their yard and you'll just have to go retrieve it。”
So I watched from the window; and every few minutes I'd ask; “Now?” and she'd say; “Give
them a little while longer; would you?”
Then the phone rang。 And the minute I was sure s
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