第14部分(第3/8 頁)

“By　the

way；　I　appreciated　your　ment　before。”

“What？”　I　asked；　but　my　throat　was　feeling　all　pinched　and　swollen。

“About　your　grandmother。　How　did　you　know　that？”

I　shook　my　head　and　said；　“Juli　told　me。”

“Oh？　You　spoke　with　her；　then？”

“Yeah。　Actually；　I　apologized　to　her。”

“Well…！”

“And　I　was　feeling　a　lot　better　about　everything；　but　now　…　God；　I　feel　like　such　a　jerk　again。”

“Don't。　You　apologized；　and　that's　what　matters。”　He　stood　up　and　said；　“Say；　I'm　in　the

mood　for　a　walk。　Want　to　join　me？”

Go　for　a　walk？　What　I　wanted　to　do　was　go　to　my　room；　lock　the　door；　and　be　left　alone。

“I　find　it　really　helps　to　clear　the　mind；”　he　said；　and　that's　when　I　realized　that　this　wasn't　just

a　walk　—　this　was　an　invitation　to　do　something

together。

I　stood　up　and　said；　“Yeah。　Let's　get　out　of　here。”

For　a　guy　who'd　only　basically　ever　said　Pass　the　salt　to　me；　my　granddad　turned　out　to　be　a

real　talker。　We　walked　our　neighborhood　and　the

next　neighborhood　and　the　next　neighborhood；　and　not　only　did　I　find　out　that　my　granddad

knows　a　lot　of　stuff；　I　found　out　that　the　guy　is　funny。　In　a

subtle　kind　of　dry　way。　It's　the　stuff　he　says；　plus　the　way　he　says　it。　It's　really；　I　don't　know；

cool。

As　we　were　winding　back　into　our　own　territory；　we　passed　by　the　house　that's　going　up

where　the　sycamore　tree　used　to　be。　My　granddad