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 theres Juli; spitting out nails and
slamming them in place。 No kidding。 Shes got nails lined up between her lips like steel
cigarettes; and shes swinging that hammer full…arc; way
above her head; driving nails into pickets like theyre 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 Julis 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 wasnt 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。 Theyd 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 thats 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 dont 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 didnt I just go over there and help? What was stopping me?
I wound up at Garretts house; and man; Id never been so glad to see anyone in my life。
Leave it to Garrett to get your mind off anything important。
That dudes the master。 We went out back and shot hoops; watched the tube; and talked