小说园

第8部分（第2页）

“Thats　right。”　He　gets　up　and　clears　his　cereal　bowl；　saying；　“Ive　got　to　get　to　work　and

youve　got　to　get　to　school。　Ill　expect　a　report　tonight。”

Great。　Just　great。　The　day　was　doomed　before　it　had　started。　But　then　at　school　when　I　told

Garrett　about　what　had　happened；　he　just　shrugged

and　said；　“Well；　she　lives　right　across　the　street　from　you；　right？”

“Yeah；　so？”

………　Page　24………

“So　just　go　look　over　the　fence。”

“You　mean　spy？”

“Sure。”

“But　…　how　can　I　tell　if　one　of　thems　a　rooster　or　not？”

“Roosters　are　…I　dont　know…　bigger。　And　they　have　more　feathers。”

“Feathers？　Like　Ive　got　to　go　and　count　feathers？”

“No；　stupid！　My　mom　says　that　the　males　always　brighter。”　Then　he　laughs　and　says；

“Although　in　your　case　Im　not　so　sure。”

“Thanks。　You　are　giving　me　big…time　help　here；　buddy。　I　really　appreciate　it。”

“Look；　a　roosters　going　to　be　bigger　and　have　brighter　feathers。　You　know；　those　long　ones

in　the　back？　Theyre　redder　or　blacker　or　whatever。

And　dont　roosters　have　some　rubbery　red　stuff　growing　off　the　top　of　their　head？　And　some

off　their　neck；　too？　Yeah；　the　roosters　got　all　sorts　of

rubbery　red　stuff　all　around　its　face。”

“So　youre　saying　Im　supposed　to　look　over　the　fence　for　big　feathers　and　rubbery　red　stuff。”

“Well；　e　to　think　of　it；　chickens　have　that　rubbery　red　stuff；　too。　Just　not　as　much　of　it。”

I　rolled　my　eyes　at　him　and　was　about　to　say；　Forget　it；　Ill　just　ask　Juli；　but　then　he　says；　“Ill

e　with　you　if　you　want。”

“Seriously？”

“Yeah；　dude。　Seriously。”

And　that；　my　friend；　is　how　I　wound　up　spying　over　the　Bakers　back　fence　with　Garrett

Anderson　at　three…thirty　that　afternoon。　Not　my　choice　of

covert　operations；　but　a　necessary　one　in　order　to　report　back　to　my　dad　that　night　at　dinner。

We　got　there　fast；　too。　The　bell　rang　and　we　basically　charged　off　campus　because　I　figured

if　we　got　to　the　Bakers　quick　enough；　we　could　look

and　leave　before　Juli　was　anywhere　near　her　house。　We　didnt　even　drop　off　our　backpacks。

We　went　straight　down　the　alley　and　started　spying。

Its　not　really　necessary　to　look　over　the　Bakers　fence。　You　can　see　almost　as　well　looking

through　it。　But　Garrett　kept　sticking　his　head　up；　so　I

figured　I　should　too；　although　in　the　back　of　my　mind　I　was　aware　that　Garrett　didnt　have　to