第5部分 (第3/8页)

dn't　whip

………　Page　15………

her　hand　through　the　air　trying　to　get　the　teacher　to　call　on　her　or　charge　through　the　halls

getting　to　class。　She　didn't　make　unsolicited　ments　for

the　teacher's　edification　or　challenge　the　kids　who　took　cuts　in　the　milk　line。　She　just　sat。

Quiet。

I　told　myself　I　should　be　glad　about　it　—　it　was　like　she　wasn't　even　there；　and　isn't　that　what

I'd　always　wanted？　But　still；　I　felt　bad。　About　her　tree；

about　how　she　hurried　off　to　eat　by　herself　in　the　library　at　lunch；　about　how　her　eyes　were

red　around　the　edges。　I　wanted　to　tell　her；　Man；　I'm　sorry

about　your　sycamore　tree；　but　the　words　never　seemed　to　e　out。

By　the　middle　of　the　next　week；　they'd　finished　taking　down　the　tree。　They　cleared　the　lot　and

even　tried　to　pull　up　the　stump；　but　that　sucker　would

not　budge；　so　they　wound　up　grinding　it　down　into　the　dirt。

Juli　still　didn't　show　at　the　bus　stop；　and　by　the　end　of　the　week　I　learned　from　Garrett　that

she　was　riding　a　bike。　He　said　he'd　seen　her　on　the

side　of　the　road　twice　that　week；　putting　the　chain　back　on　the　derailleur　of　a　rusty　old　ten…

speed。

I　figured　she'd　be　back。　It　was　a　long　ride　out　to　Mayfield　Junior　High；　and　once　she　got　over

the　tree；　she'd　start　riding　the　bus　again。　I　even

caught　myself　looking　for　her。　Not　on　the　lookout；　just　looking。

Then　one　day　it　rained　and　I　thought