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got a saw revving and wailing across the street； and
in between cuts I can hear the whack； whack； whack！ whack； whack； whack！ of a hammer。
I look out the window and there's Juli； spitting out nails and
slamming them in place。 No kidding。 She's got nails lined up between her lips like steel
cigarettes； and she's swinging that hammer full…arc； way
above her head； driving nails into pickets like they're going into butter。
For a split second there； I saw my head as the recipient of her hammer； cracking open like
Humpty Dumpty。 I shuddered and dropped the curtain；
ditched the homework； and headed for the TV。
They handymanned all week。 And every night Granddad would e in with rosy cheeks
and a huge appetite and pliment my mom on what a
great cook she was。 Then Saturday happened。 And the last thing I wanted was to spend the
day at home while my grandfather churned up dirt and
helped plant Juli's yard。 Mom tried to get me to do our own yard； but I would have felt
ridiculous micromowing our grass with Granddad and Juli
making real changes right across the street。
So I locked myself in my room and called Garrett。 He wasn't home； and everybody else I
called had stuff they had to do。 And hitting up Mom or
Dad for a ride to the movies or the mall was hopeless。 They'd tell me I was supposed to be
doing the yard。
What I was； was stuck。
……… Page 39………
And what I wound up doing was looking out the stupid window at Juli and my grandfather。 It
was a totally lame thing to do； but that's what I did。
I got nailed doing it； too。 By my grandfather。 And he； of course； had to point me out to Juli；
which made me feel another two inches shorter。 I
dropped the curtain and blasted out the back door and over the fence。 I had to get out of
there。
I swear I walked ten miles that day。 And I don't know who I was madder at — my grandfather；
Juli； or me。 What was wrong with me？ If I wanted to
make it up to Juli； why didn't I just go over there and help？ What was stopping me？
I wound up at Garrett's house； and man； I'd never been so glad to see anyone in my life。
Leave it to Garrett to get your mind off anything important。
That dude's the master。 We went out back and shot hoops； watched the tube； and talked
about hitting the water slides this summer。
And when I got home； there was Juli； sprinkling the yard。
She saw me； all right； but she didn't wave or smile or anything。 She just looked away。
Normally what I'd do in that situation is maybe pretend like I hadn't seen her； or give a quick
wave and charge inside。 But she'd been mad at me
for what seemed like ages。 She hadn't said word one to me since the morning of the eggs。
She'd pletely dissed me in math a couple days
before when I'd smiled at her； trying to tell her I was sorry。 She didn't smile back or nod or
anything。 She just turned away and never looked back。
I even waited for her outside the classroom to say something； anything； about her fixing up
the yard and how bad I felt； but she ditched me out the
other door； and after that anytime I got anywhere near her； she'd find some way to skate
around me。
So there she was； watering the yard； making me feel like a jerk； and I'd had enough of it。 I
went up to her and said； “It's looking real good； Juli。
Nice job。”
“Thanks；” she said without smiling。 “Chet did most of it。”
Chet？ I thought。 Chet？ What was she doing； calling my grandfather by his first name？ “Look；
Juli；” I said； trying to get on with why I was there。 “I'm
sorry for what I did。”
She looked at me for a second； then went back to watching the water spray across the dirt。
Finally she said； “I still don't get it； Bryce。 Why didn't
you just tell me？”
“I…I don't know。 It was dumb。 I should have。 And I shouldn't have said anything about the
yard； either。 It was； you know； out of line。”
I was already feeling better。 A lot better。 Then Juli says； “Well； maybe it's all for the better；”
and starts bouncing up and down on the balls of her
feet； acting more like her old self。 “Doesn't it look great？ I learned so much from Chet it's
amazing。 You are so lucky。 I don't even have grandparents
anymore。”
“Oh；” I said； not knowing what to say。
“I do feel sorry for him； though。 He sure misses your grandmother。” Then she laughs and
shakes her head； saying； “Can you believe it？ He says I
remind him of her。”
“What？” “Yeah；” she laughs again。 “That's what I said。 But he meant it in a nice way。”
I looked at Juli and tried to picture my grandmother as an eighth grader。 It was hopeless。 I
mean； Juli's got long； fluffy brown hair and a nose full of
freckles； where my grandmother had always been some variety of blond。 And my
grandmother had used powder。 Puffy white powder。 She'd put it
on her face and in her hair； in her slippers and on her chest…。 That woman powdered
everything。
I could not see Juli coated in powder。 Okay； maybe gun powder； but the white perfumy stuff？
Forget it。
……… Page 40………
I guess I was staring； because Juli says； “Look； I didn't say it； he did。 I just thought it was nice；
that's all。”
“Yeah； whatever。 Well； good luck with the grass。 I'm sure it'll e up great。” Then I totally
surprised myself by saying； “Knowing you； you'll get 'em
all to hatch。” I didn't say it mean or anything； I really meant it。 I laughed； and then she
laughed； and that's how I left her—sprinkling her soon…to…be
sod； smiling。
I hadn't been in such a good mood in weeks。 The eggs were finally behind me。 I was
absolved。 Relieved。 Happy。
It took me a few minutes at the dinner table to realize that I was the only one who was。
Lyta had on her usual pout； so that wasn't it。 But my
father's idea of saying hello was to lay into me about the lawn。
“No sweat；” I told him。 “I'll do it tomorrow。”
All that got me was a scowl。
Then Mom says to my granddad； “You tired tonight； Dad？”
I hadn't even noticed him sitting there like a stone。
“Yeah；” my father tosses down the table at him。 “That girl working you too hard？”
My grandfather straightens his fork on his napkin and says； “‘That girl’ is named Juli； and no；
she isn't ‘working me too hard；’ as you so callously
put it。”
“Callous？ Me？” My dad laughs and says； “Developed quite a soft spot for that girl； haven't
you？”
Even Lyta let her pout go for a minute。 These were fighting words and everyone knew it。
Mom nudged Dad with her foot； but that only made
things worse。 “No； Patsy！ I want to know why your father has the energy and inclination to
befriend a plete stranger when he's never done so
much as toss a baseball around with his own grandson！”
Well； yeah！ I thought。 But then I remembered — I owed my grandfather。 Owed him big…time。
Without thinking； I said； “Take it easy； Dad。 Juli just
reminds him of Grandma。”
Everyone clammed up and stared at me。 So I looked at my grandfather and said； “Uh … isn't
that right； Granddad？”
He nodded and rearranged his fork some more。
“Of Renée？” My father looked at my mother and then at Granddad。 “She can't possibly！”
My granddad closed his eyes and said； “It's her spirit that reminds me of Renée。”
“Her spirit；” my father says。 Like he's talking to a lying kindergartner。
“Yes； her spirit。” My grandfather's quiet for a minute； then asks； “Do you know why the
Bakers haven't fixed up the yard until now？”
“Why？ Sure。 They're trash； that's why。 They've got a beat…up house； two beat…up cars； and a
beat…up yard。”
“They are not trash； Rick。 They are good； honest； hardworking people — ”
“Who have absolutely no pride in how they present themselves to the rest of the world。
We've lived across the street from those people for over
six years； and there is no excuse for the state they're in。”
“No？” My grandfather takes a deep breath and seems to weigh things in his mind for a few
seconds。 Then he says； “Tell me this； Rick。 If you had
a brother or sister or child who had a severe mental or physical handicap； what would you
do？”
It was like my granddad had passed gas in church。 My father's face pinched； his head shook；
and finally he said； “Chet； what does that have to do
with anything？”
My grandfather looks at him for a minute； then quietly says； “Juli's father has a retarded
brother； and—”
My father interrupts him with a laugh。 “Well； that explains a lot； doesn't it！”
“Explains…a lot？” my grandfather asks。 Quietly。 Calmly。
……… Page 41………
“Sure！ It explains why those people are the way they are … ！” He grins around the table at us。
“Must run in the family。”
Everyone looks at him。 Lyta's jaw drops； and for once she's speechless。 My mother says；
“Rick！” but all my father can do is laugh a nervous
kind of laugh and say； “It was just a joke！ I mean； obviously something's wrong with those
people。 Oh； excuse me； Chet。 I forgot。 The girl reminds
you of Renée。”
“Rick！” my mother says again； only this time she's mad。
“Oh； Patsy； please。 Your father's being overly dramatic； trying to make me feel bad for
criticizing our neighbors because there's a retarded
relative someplace。 Other people have family troubles and still manage to mow their lawn。
They should have a little pride in ownership； for cryin' out
loud！”
My grandfather's cheeks are seriously flushed； but his voice is rock…steady as he says； “They
don't own that house； Rick。 The landlord is
supposed to maintain the premises； but he doesn't。 And since Juli's father is responsible for
his brother； all their reserves go to his care； and
obviously it doesn't e cheap。”
Very quietly my mom asks； “Don't they have government facilities for that kind of thing？”
“I don't know the details； Patsy。 Maybe there are no government facilities nearby。 Maybe they
thought a private facility was a better place for him
to be。”
“Still；” my dad says； “there are government facilities available； and if they don't want to go
that route； that's their choice。 It's not our fault their
family had some sort of chromosomal abnormality； and I refuse to feel guilty for wanting — ”
My grandfather slams his hand on the table and half…stands as he says； “It had nothing to do
with chromosomes； Rick！ It was caused by a lack of
oxygen at birth。” He brings his voice down； but it makes his words seem even more forceful。
“Juli's uncle had the umbilical cord wrapped around his
neck。 Twice。 One minute he was a perfect little baby； just like your son； Bryce； and the next
he was irreversibly damaged。”
My mother was suddenly hysterical。 In seconds she was bawling her eyes out； wailing； and
my father was all over her； trying to calm her down。 It
was no use。 She