小说园

第9部分（第2页）

about　every　little　thing；　so　what？　Get　in；　get　your　question

answered；　and　get　out。　Stand　up　to　her；　for　cryin　out　loud！”

“Rick　…；”　my　mom　was　saying；　“Rick；　calm　down。　He　did　find　out　what　you　asked　him　to　—　”

“No；　he　didnt！”

“What　do　you　mean？”

“He　tells　me　theyre　all　chickens！　Of　course　theyre　all　chickens！　The　question　is　how　many

are　hens；　and　how　many　are　roosters。”

I　could　almost　hear　the　click　in　my　brain；　and　man；　I　felt　like　a　plete　doofus。　No　wonder

he　was　disgusted　with　me。　I　was　an　idiot！　They　were

all　chickens　…　du…uh！　Garrett　acted　like　he　was　some　expert　on　chickens；　and　he　didnt　know

diddly…squat！　Why　had　I　listened　to　him？

But　it　was　too　late。　My　dad　was　convinced　I　was　a　coward；　and　to　get　me　over　it；　he　decided

that　what　I　should　do　was　take　the　carton　of　eggs

back　to　the　Bakers　and　tell　them　we　didnt　eat　eggs；　or　that　we　were　allergic　to　them；　or

something。

Then　my　mom　butts　in　with；　“What　are　you　teaching　him　here；　Rick？　None　of　that　is　true。　If

he　returns　them；　shouldnt　he　tell　them　the　truth？”

“What；　that　youre　afraid　of　salmonella　poisoning？”

“Me？　Arent　you　a　little　concerned；　too？”

“Patsy；　thats　not　the　point。　The　point　is；　I　will　not　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　wasnt　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。　Id　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　Id　bury　the