第15部分(第1/7 頁)

things。

It　wasn't　just　the　yard。　It　was　my　dad's　truck；　my　mother's　car；　the　family　bike　that　was　more

rust　than　steel；　and　the　fact　that　when　we　did　buy

something　new；　it　always　seemed　to　e　from　a　second…time…around　store。　Plus；　we　never

went　on　vacation。　Ever。

Why　was　that？　My　father　was　the　hardest…working　man　in　the　world；　and　my　mother　worked

for　TempService　doing　secretarial　jobs　whenever　she

could。　What　was　all　that　hard　work　about　if　this　is　where　it　got　you？

Asking　my　parents　whether　we　were　poor　seemed　incredibly　impolite。　But　as　the　days　went

by；　I　knew　I　had　to　ask。　Just　had　to。　Every　day　I'd　ride

home　from　school　on　our　rusty　bike；　pull　past　the　broken　fence　and　patchy　yard；　and　think；

Tonight。　I'll　ask　them　tonight。

But　then　I　wouldn't　ask　them。　I　just　didn't　know　how。

Then　one　day　I　had　an　idea。　A　way　to　talk　to　them　about　it　and　maybe　help　out　a　little；　too。

And　since　my　brothers　were　working　at　the　music　store

that　night；　and　nobody　was　saying　much　of　anything　at　the　table；　I　took　a　deep　breath　and

said；　“I　was　thinking；　you　know；　that　it　wouldn't　be　hard　to

fix　up　the　front　yard　if　I　could　get　some　nails　and　a　hammer　and　maybe　some　paint？　And　how

much　does　grass　seed　cost？　It　can't　be　that　much；

right？　I　could　plant　a　lawn；　and　maybe　even　some　flowers？”

My　parents　stopped　eating　and　stared　at　me。

………　Page　45………

“I　know　how　to　use　a　saw　and　a　hammer—it　could　be；　you　know；　a　project。”

My　mother　quit　looking　at　me　and　stared　at　my　father；　instead。

My　father　sighed　and　said；　“The　yard　is　not　our　responsibility；　Julianna。”

“It's　…　it's　not？”

He　shook　his　head　and　said；　“It's