第11部分(第5/7 页)

　and　being　late　to　work　herself　when　my　mother

needed　a　ride　because　our　car　wouldn't　start。　A　few　eggs

now　and　again　…　it　was　the　least　I　could　do。

There　was　also　the　decidedly　blissful　possibility　of　running　into　Bryce。　And　in　the　chilly

sparkle　of　a　new　day；　Bryce's　eyes　seemed　bluer　than

ever。　The　way　he　looked　at　me—the　smile；　the　blush—it　was　a　Bryce　I　didn't　get　to　see　at

school。　The　Bryce　at　school　was　way　more　protected。

By　the　third　time　I　brought　eggs　over　to　the　Loskis；　I　realized　that　Bryce　was　waiting　for　me。

Waiting　to　pull　the　door　open　and　say；　“Thanks；　Juli；”

and　then；　“See　you　at　school。”

It　was　worth　it。　Even　after　Mrs。　Helms　and　Mrs。　Stueby　offered　me　more　money　per　dozen；　it

was　still　worth　it。　So；　through　the　rest　of　sixth　grade；

through　all　of　seventh　grade　and　most　of　eighth；　I　delivered　eggs　to　the　Loskis。　The　very　best；

shiniest　eggs　went　straight　to　the　Loskis；　and　in　return

I　got　a　few　moments　alone　with　the　world's　most　dazzling　eyes。

It　was　a　bargain。

Then　they　cut　down　the　sycamore　tree。　And　two　weeks　later　Champ　died。　He'd　been

spending　a　lot　of　time　sleeping；　and　even　though　we　didn't

really　know　how　old　he　was；　no　one　was　really　surprised　when　one　night　Dad　went　out　to

feed　him　and　discovered　he　was　dead。　We　buried　him　in

the　backyard；　and　my　brothers　put　up　a　cross　that　reads：

HERE　LIES　THE　MYSTERY　PISSER

P。I。P。

I　was　upset　and　pretty　dazed　for　a　while。　It　was　raining　a　lot　and　I　was　riding　my　bike　to

school　to　avoid　having　to　take　the　bus；　and　each　day　when

I'd　get　home；　I'd　retreat　to　my　room；　lose　myself　in　a　novel；　and　simply　forget　about　collecting

eg