第14部分(第5/8 頁)

door；　and　flopped

through　the　darkness　onto　my　bed。

I　lay　there　awhile　and　let　the　dinner　disaster　play　through　my　mind。　And　when　I'd　totally

burned　a　fuse　thinking　about　it；　I　sat　up　and　looked　out　the

window。　There　was　a　light　on　somewhere　inside　the　Bakers'　house　and　the　streetlights　were

glowing；　but　the　night　still　seemed　really　dense。　Like　it

was　darker　than　usual　and；　I　don't　know；　heavy。

I　leaned　closer　to　the　window　and　looked　up　into　the　sky；　but　I　couldn't　see　the　stars　anymore。

I　wondered　if　Juli　had　ever　been　in　the　sycamore　at

night。　Among　the　stars。

I　shook　my　head。　Flat；　glossy；　iridescent。　What　was　up　with　that？　Juli　Baker　had　always

seemed　just　plain　dusty　to　me。

I　snapped　on　my　desk　lamp　and　dug　the　newspaper　with　the　article　about　Juli　out　of　the

drawer　where　I'd　tossed　it。

Just　like　I　thought　—　they　made　it　sound　like　Juli　was　trying　to　save　Mount　Rushmore　or

something。　They　called　her　a　“strong　voice　in　an　urban

wilderness”　and　“a　radiant　beacon；　shedding　light　on　the　need　to　curtail　continued

overdevelopment　of　our　once　quaint　and　tranquil　munity。”

Spare　me。　I　mean；　what's　wrong　with　letting　a　guy　cut　down　a　tree　on　his　own　property　so　he

can　build　a　house？　His　lot；　his　tree；　his　decision。

End　of　story。　The　piece　in　the　paper　was　gag…me　gush。

Except。　Except　for　the　places　aybe　it　was　just　in　contrast　to　the