第7部分(第3/7 页)

　care；　right？　But　then　Skyler　and　Juli's　brothers　formed　a　band；

which　they　named　Mystery　Pisser。

When　my　mom　heard　about　it；　she　pletely　wigged　out。　“What　kind　of　parents　would　allow

their　children　to　be　in　a　band　named　Mystery

Pisser？　It's　vile。　It's　disgusting！”

“That's　the　whole　point；　Mom；”　Lyta　tried　to　explain。　“It　doesn't　mean　anything。　It's　just　to

get　a　rise　out　of　old　people。”

“Are　you　calling　me　old；　young　lady？　Because　it's　certainly　getting　a　rise　out　of　me！”

Lyta　just　shrugged；　implying　that　my　mom　could　draw　her　own　conclusion。

“Go！　Go　to　your　room；”　my　mother　snapped。

“For　what？”　Lyta　snapped　back。　“I　didn't　say　a　thing！”

“You　know　perfectly　well　what　for。　Now　you　go　in　there　and　adjust　your　attitude；　young　lady！”

So　Lyta　got　another　one　of　her　teenage　time…outs；　and　after　that　any　time　Lyta　was　two

minutes　late　ing　home　for　dinner；　my　mother

would　messenger　me　down　to　Skyler's　house　to　drag　her　home。　It　might　have　been

embarrassing　for　Lyta；　but　it　was　worse　for　me。　I　was　still　in

elementary　school；　and　the　Mystery　Pisser　guys　were　in　high　school。　They　were　ripe　and

ragged；　raging　power　chords　through　the　neighborhood；

while　I　looked　like　I'd　just　gotten　back　from　Sunday　school。

I'd　get　so　nervous　going　down　there　that　my　voice　would　squeak　when　I'd　tell　Lyta　it　was

time　for　dinner。　It　literally　squeaked。　But　after　a　while

the　band　dropped　Mystery　from　their　name；　and　Pisser　and　its　entourage　got　used　to　me

showing　up。　And　instead　of　glaring　at　me；　they　started

saying　stuff　like；　“Hey；　baby　brother；　e　on　in！”　“Hey；　Brycie　boy；　wanna　jam？”

This；　then；　is　how　I　wound　up　in　Skyler　Brown's　g