第9部分(第3/7 頁)

　have　a　coward　for　a　son！”

“But　teaching　him　to　lie？”

“Fine。　Then　just　throw　them　away。　But　from　now　on　I　expect　you　to　look　that　little　tiger　square

in　the　eye；　you　hear　me？”

“Yes；　sir。”

“Okay；　then。”

I　was　off　the　hook　for　all　of　about　eight　days。　Then　there　she　was　again；　at　seven　in　the

morning；　bouncing　up　and　down　on　our　porch　with　eggs　in

her　hands。　“Hi；　Bryce！　Here　you　go。”

I　tried　to　look　her　square　in　the　eye　and　tell　her；　No　thanks；　but　she　was　so　darned　happy；

and　I　wasn't　really　awake　enough　to　tackle　the　tiger。

She　wound　up　pushing　another　carton　into　my　hands；　and　I　wound　up　ditching　them　in　the

kitchen　trash　before　my　father　sat　down　to　breakfast。

This　went　on　for　two　years。　Two　years！　And　it　got　to　a　point　where　it　was　just　part　of　my

morning　routine。　I'd　be　on　the　lookout　for　Juli　so　I　could

whip　the　door　open　before　she　had　the　chance　to　knock　or　ring　the　bell；　and　then　I'd　bury　the

eggs　in　the　trash　before　my　dad　showed　up。

Then　came　the　day　I　blew　it。　Juli'd　actually　been　making　herself　pretty　scarce　because　it　was

around　the　time　they'd　taken　the　sycamore　tree

down；　but　suddenly　one　morning　she　was　back　on　our　doorstep；　delivering　eggs。　I　took　them；

as　usual；　and　I　went　to　chuck　them；　as　usual。　But　the

kitchen　trash　was　so　full　that　there　wasn't　any　room　for　the　carton；　so　I　put　it　on　top；　picked

up　the　trash；　and　beat　it　out　the　front　door　to　empty

everything　into　the　garbage　can　outside。

Well；　guess　who's　just　standing　there　like　a　statue　on　my　porch？

The　Egg　Chick。

I　about　spilled　the　trash　all　over　the　porch。　“What　are　you　still　doing　here？”　I　asked　her。

“I…I