第4部分(第6/7 页)

t　big　meaty　hands。　I　suppose　you'd　notice　his　hands

regardless；　but　what　makes　you　realize　just　how　beefy

they　are　is　his　wedding　ring。　That　thing's　never　going　to　e　off；　and　even　though　my

mother　says　that's　how　it　should　be；　I　think　he　ought　to　get　it

cut　off。　Another　few　pounds　and　that　ring's　going　to　amputate　his　finger。

When　I　went　in　to　see　him；　those　big　hands　of　his　were　woven　together；　resting　on　the

newspaper　in　his　lap。　I　said；　“Granddad？　You　wanted　to

see　me？”

“Have　a　seat；　son。”

Son？　Half　the　time　he　didn't　seem　to　know　who　I　was；　and　now　suddenly　I　was　“son”？　I　sat　in

the　chair　opposite　him　and　waited。

“Tell　me　about　your　friend　Juli　Baker。”

“Juli？　She's　not　exactly　my　friend　…　！”

“Why　is　that？”　he　asked。　Calmly。　Like　he　had　prior　knowledge。

I　started　to　justify　it；　then　stopped　myself　and　asked；　“Why　do　you　want　to　know？”

He　opened　the　paper　and　pressed　down　the　crease；　and　that's　when　I　realized　that　Juli

Baker　had　made　the　front　page　of　the　Mayfield　Times。

There　was　a　huge　picture　of　her　in　the　tree；　surrounded　by　a　fire　brigade　and　policemen；　and

then　some　smaller　photos　I　couldn't　make　out　very

well。　“Can　I　see　that？”

He　folded　it　up　but　didn't　hand　it　over。　“Why　isn't　she　your　friend；　Bryce？”

“Because　she's　…”　I　shook　my　head　and　said；　“You'd　have　to　know　Juli。”

“I'd　like　to。”

“What？　Why？”

“Because　the　girl's　got　an　iron　backbone。　Why　don't　you　invite　her　over　sometime？”

“An　iron　backbone？　Granddad；　you　don't　understand！　That　girl　is　a　royal　pain。　She's　a　show…

off；　she's　a　know…it…all；　and　she　is　pushy　beyond

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belief！”

“Is　that　so。”