第12部分(第2/7 页)

　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　the　clear；　brilliant　blue　of　his　eyes。

“I'm　sorry；　Juli；”　he　whispered。

I　stumbled　home；　embarrassed　and　confused；　my　heart　pletely　cracked　open。

Get　a　Grip；　Man

It　didn't　take　long　for　me　to　realize　that　I'd　traded　in　my　old　problems　with　Juli　Baker　for　a

whole　new　set　of　problems　with　Juli　Baker。　I　could　feel　her

anger　a　mile　away。

It　was　actually　worse　having　her　mad　at　me　than　having　her　harass　me。　Why？　Because　I'd

screwed　up；　that's　why。　I　had　egg　all　over　my　face；　and

blaming　it　on　her　yard　had　done　nothing　to　wash　it　off。　The