第8部分(第5/7 頁)

；　“I've　got　sunshine　on　a　cloudy　day。　When　it's

cold　outsi…ye…yide；　I've　got　the　month　of　May。　I　guess

you'd　say；　what　can　make　me　feel　this　way？　My　girls。　Talkin'　'bout　my　little　gir…ur…rls　…”

She　looks　inside　the　coop　and　coos；　“Hello；　Flo！　Good

afternoon；　Bonnie！　e　on　out；　punkin！”

The　coop　wasn't　big　enough　for　her　to　walk　in。　It　was　more　like　a　mini　lean…to　shack　that　even

her　dog　would　have　trouble　crawling　in。　Does　that

stop　Juli　Baker？　No。　She　gets　down　on　her　hands　and　knees　and　dives　right　in。　Chickens

e　squawking　and　flapping　out；　and　pretty　soon　the

yard's　full　of　birds；　and　all　we　can　see　of　Juli　is　her　poop…covered　shoes。

That's　not　all　we　can　hear；　though。　She's　warbling　inside　that　coop；　going；　“I　don't　need

money；　no　fortune　or　faaa…ya…yame。　I　got　all　the　riches；

baby；　anyone　can　claim。　Well；　I　guess　you'd　say；　what　can　make　me　feel　this　way？　My

girls。　Talkin'　'bout　my　little　gir…ur…rls；　my　girls…”

At　this　point　I　wasn't　checking　the　chickens　out　for　rubbery　red　stuff　or　feathers。　I　was　looking

at　the　bottom　of　Juli　Baker's　feet；　wondering　how　in

the　world　a　person　could　be　so　happy　tunneling　through　a　dilapidated　chicken　coop　with

poop　stuck　all　over　her　shoes。

Garrett　got　me　back　on　track。　“They're　all　chickens；”　he　says。　“Look　at　'em。”

I　quit　checking　out　Juli's　shoes　and　started　checking　out　birds。　The　first　thing　I　did　was　count

them。　One…two…three…four…five…six。　All　accounted　for。

After　all；　how　could　anyone　forget　she'd　hatched　six？　It　was　the　all…time　school　record　—

everyone　in　the　county　had　heard　about　that。

But　I　was　not　really　sure　how　to　ask　Garrett　about　what　he　had　said。　Yeah；　th