第5部分(第1/7 頁)

something　besides　passing　the　salt。　And　does　he　want　to　get　to　know　me？　No！　He　wants　to

know　about　Juli！

I　couldn't　just　stand　up　and　leave；　even　though　that's　what　I　felt　like　doing。　Somehow　I　knew

if　I　left　like　that；　he'd　quit　talking　to　me　at　all。　Even

about　salt。　So　I　sat　there　feeling　sort　of　tortured。　Was　he　mad　at　me？　How　could　he　be　mad

at　me？　I　hadn't　done　anything　wrong！

When　I　looked　up；　he　was　sitting　there　holding　out　the　newspaper　to　me。　“Read　this；”　he　said。

“Without　prejudice。”

I　took　it；　and　when　he　went　back　to　looking　out　the　window；　I　knew　—　I'd　been　dismissed。

By　the　time　I　got　down　to　my　room；　I　was　mad。　I　slammed　my　bedroom　door　and　flopped

down　on　the　bed；　and　after　fuming　about　my　sorry

excuse　for　a　grandfather　for　a　while；　I　shoved　the　newspaper　in　the　bottom　drawer　of　my

desk。　Like　I　needed　to　know　any　more　about　Juli　Baker。

At　dinner　my　mother　asked　me　why　I　was　so　sulky；　and　she　kept　looking　from　me　to　my

grandfather。　Granddad　didn't　seem　to　need　any　salt；

which　was　a　good　thing　because　I　might　have　thrown　the　shaker　at　him。

My　sister　and　dad　were　all　business　as　usual；　though。　Lyta　ate　about　two　raisins　out　of

her　carrot　salad；　then　peeled　the　skin　and　meat　off　her

chicken　wing　and　nibbled　gristle　off　the　bone；　while　my　father　filled　up　airspace　talking　about

office　politics　and　the　need　for　a　shakedown　in　upper

management。

No　one　was　listening　to　him　—　no　one　ever　does　when　he　gets　on　one　of　his　if…I…ran…the…

circus　jags　—　but　for　once　Mom　wasn't　even　pretending。

And　for　once　she　wasn't　trying　to　convince　Lyta　that　dinner　was　delicious　either。　She　just

kept　eyeing　me　an