第11部分(第4/7 頁)

r　Mrs。　Stueby　leaned　over　the　side

fence　and　said；　“If　you　ever　have　any　extra；　I'd　be

happy　to　buy　them　from　you。”

“Really？”　I　asked。

“Most　certainly。　Nothing　quite　like　free…range　eggs。　Two　dollars　a　dozen　sound　fair　to　you？”

Two　dollars　a　dozen！　I　laughed　and　said；　“Sure！”

“Okay；　then。　Whenever　you　have　some　extras；　just　bring　'em　over。　Mrs。　Helms　and　I　got　to

discussing　it　last　night　on　the　phone；　but　I　asked　you

first；　so　make　sure　you　offer　'em　up　to　me　before　her；　okay；　Juli？”

“Sure　thing；　Mrs。　Stueby！”

Between　Mrs。　Stueby　and　Mrs。　Helms　three　doors　down；　my　egg　overflow　problem　was

solved。　And　maybe　I　should've　turned　the　money　over　to

my　mother　as　payment　for　having　destroyed　the　backyard；　but　one　“Nonsense；　Julianna。　It's

yours；”　was　all　it　took　for　me　to　start　squirreling　it　away。

Then　one　day　as　I　was　walking　down　to　Mrs。　Helms'　house；　Mrs。　Loski　drove　by。　She　waved

and　smiled；　and　I　realized　with　a　pang　of　guilt　that　I

wasn't　being　very　neighborly　about　my　eggs。　She　didn't　know　that　Mrs。　Helms　and　Mrs。

Stueby　were　paying　me　for　these　eggs。　She　probably

thought　I　was　delivering　them　out　of　the　kindness　of　my　heart。

And　maybe　I　should've　been　giving　the　eggs　away；　but　I'd　never　had　a　steady　ine　before。

Allowance　at　our　house　is　a　hit…or…miss　sort　of　thing。

Usually　a　miss。　And　earning　money　from　my　eggs　gave　me　this　secret　happy　feeling；　which　I

was　reluctant　to　have　the　kindness　of　my　heart

encroach　upon。

But　the　more　I　thought　about　it；　the　more　I　realized　that　Mrs。　Loski　deserved　some　free　eggs。

She　had　been　a　good　neighbor　to　us；　lending　us

supplies　when　we　ran　out　unexpectedly