第27部分(第6/7 頁)

　get　to　miss　the　second　half　of　school…。”

“No！　I'm　not　bidding。　Not　on　anyone！”

She　laughed。　“Good　for　you。”

That　afternoon　I　rode　home　from　school　brooding　about　Bryce　and　the　whole　basket　boy

auction。　I　could　feel　myself　backsliding　about　Bryce。　But

why　should　I　care　if　Shelly　liked　him？　I　shouldn't　even　be　thinking　about　him！

………　Page　84………

When　I　wasn't　thinking　about　Bryce；　I　was　worrying　about　poor　Jon　Trulock。　He　was　quiet；

and　I　felt　sorry　for　him；　having　to　clutch　a　basket　and　be

auctioned　off　in　front　of　the　whole　student　body。　What　had　I　done　to　him？

But　as　I　bounced　up　our　drive；　basket　boys　bounced　right　out　of　my　mind。　Was　that　green　I

saw　poking　out　of　the　dirt？　Yes！　Yes；　it　was！　I　dropped

the　bike　and　got　down　on　my　hands　and　knees。　They　were　so　thin；　so　small；　so　far　apart！

They　barely　made　a　difference　in　the　vastness　of　the　black

dirt；　and　yet　there　they　were。　Pushing　their　way　through　to　the　afternoon　sun。

I　ran　in　the　house；　calling；　“Mom！　Mom；　there's　grass！”

“Really？”　She　emerged　from　the　bathroom　with　her　cleaning　gloves　and　a　pail。　“I　was

wondering　if　it　was　ever　going　to　spring　up。”

“Well；　it　has！　e！　e　and　see！”

She　wasn't　too　impressed　at　first。　But　after　I　made　her　get　down　on　her　hands　and　knees　and

really　look；　she　smiled　and　said；　“They're　so

delicate…。”

“They　look　like　they're　yawning；　don't　they？”

She　cocked　her　head　a　bit　and　looked　a　little　closer。　“Yawning？”

“Well；　more　stretching；　I　guess。　Like　they're　sitting　up　in　their　little　bed　of　dirt　with　their　arms

stretched　way　high；　saying；　Good　morning；　world！”

She　laughed　and　said；　“Yes；　they　do！”

I　got