第14部分(第5/7 頁)

nity。”

Spare　me。　I　mean；　what's　wrong　with　letting　a　guy　cut　down　a　tree　on　his　own　property　so　he

can　build　a　house？　His　lot；　his　tree；　his　decision。

End　of　story。　The　piece　in　the　paper　was　gag…me　gush。

Except。　Except　for　the　places　aybe　it　was　just　in　contrast　to　the

reporter's　slant　or　something；　but　Juli's　parts　didn't　e

off　oh…woe…is…me　like　I　was　expecting。　They　were；　I　don't　know；　deep。　Sitting　in　that　tree　was

seriously　philosophical　to　her。

And　the　odd　thing　is；　it　all　made　sense　to　me。　She　talked　about　what　it　felt　like　to　be　up　in　that

tree；　and　how　it；　like；　transcended　dimensional

space。　“To　be　held　above　the　earth　and　brushed　by　the　wind；”　she　said；　“it's　like　your　heart

has　been　kissed　by　beauty。”　Who　in　junior　high　do　you

know　that　would　put　together　a　sentence　like　that？　None　of　my　friends；　that's　for　sure。

There　was　other　stuff；　too；　like　how　something　can　be　so　much　more　than　the　parts　it　took　to

make　it；　and　why　people　need　things　around　them

that　lift　them　above　their　lives　and　make　them　feel　the　miracle　of　living。

I　wound　up　reading　and　re…reading　her　parts；　wondering　when　in　the　world　she　started

thinking　like　that。　I　mean；　no　kidding；　Juli　Baker's　smart；　but

this　was　something　way　beyond　straight　A's。

A　month　ago　if　I'd　read　this　article；　I　would　have　chucked　it　in　the　trash　as　plete　garbage；

but　for　some　reason　it　made　sense　to　me　now。　A　lot

of　sense。

A　month　ago　I　also　wouldn't　have　paid　any　attention　to　the　picture　of　Juli；　but　now　I　found

myself　staring　at　it。　Not　the　one　of　the　whole　scene　—

that　was　more　emergency　rescue　equipment　than　Juli。　The　other　one；　on　the　bottom　half