第14部分(第1/7 頁)

my　father　was　all　over　her；　trying　to　calm　her　down。　It

was　no　use。　She　basically　dissolved　right　there　on　the　spot。

Lyta　threw　her　napkin　down　and　muttered；　“This　family　is　a　joke；”　and　took　off。　Then　my

mother　bolted　out　of　the　room；　sobbing　into　her　hands；

and　my　father　raced　after　her；　throwing　my　grandfather　the　wickedest　look　I'd　ever　seen。

That　left　Granddad　and　me　and　a　table　full　of　cold　food。　“Wow；”　I　finally　said。　“I　had　no　idea。”

“You　still　don't；”　he　told　me。

“What　do　you　mean？”

He　sat　there　like　granite　for　a　minute；　then　leaned　across　the　table　toward　me　and　said；　“Why

do　you　suppose　that　upset　your　mother　so　much？”

“I…I　don't　know。”　I　gave　a　halfhearted　grin　and　said；　“Because　she's　female？”

He　smiled；　but　just　barely。　“No。　She's　upset　because　she　knows　that　she　could　very　well　be

standing　in　Mr。　Baker's　shoes　right　now。”

I　thought　about　it　a　minute　and　finally　asked；　“Did　her　brother　have　the　cord　around　his　neck

when　he　was　born？”

He　shook　his　head。

“Well；　then　…”

He　leaned　forward　even　farther　and　whispered；　“You　did。”

“I　did？”

He　nodded。　“Twice。”

“But　…”

“The　doctor　who　delivered　you　was　on　the　ball；　plus　apparently　there　was　some　slack　in　the

cord；　so　he　was　able　to　loop　it　off　as　you　came　out。

………　Page　42………

You　didn't　hang　yourself　ing　into　the　world；　but　it　could　very　easily　have　gone　the　other

way。”

If　I'd　been　told　years　or　even　weeks　ago　that　I'd　e　down　the　chute　noosed　and　ready　to

hang；　I'd　have　made　some　kind　of　joke　about　it；　or

more　likely　I'd　have　said；　Yeah；　that's　nice；　now　can　you　spare　me　the　discussion？

But　after　everything　that