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第2部分（第4页）

there　was　a　family　with　a　boy　my　age　moving　into　the　new　house　right　across　the　street。

Soccer　camp　had　ended；　and　Id　been　so　bored　because　there　was　nobody；　absolutely

nobody；　in　the　neighborhood　to　play　with。　Oh；　there　were

kids；　but　every　one　of　them　was　older。　That　was　dandy　for　my　brothers；　but　what　it　left　me

was　home　alone。

My　mother　was　there；　but　she　had　better　things　to　do　than　kick　a　soccer　ball　around。　So　she

said；　anyway。　At　the　time　I　didnt　think　there　was

anything　better　than　kicking　a　soccer　ball　around；　especially　not　the　likes　of　laundry　or　dishes

or　vacuuming；　but　my　mother　didnt　agree。　And　the

danger　of　being　home　alone　with　her　was　that　shed　recruit　me　to　help　her　wash　or　dust　or

vacuum；　and　she　wouldnt　tolerate　the　dribbling　of　a

soccer　ball　around　the　house　as　I　moved　from　chore　to　chore。

To　play　it　safe；　I　waited　outside　for　weeks；　just　in　case　the　new　neighbors　moved　in　early。

Literally；　it　was　weeks。　I　entertained　myself　by　playing

soccer　with　our　dog；　Champ。　Mostly　hed　just　block　because　a　dog　cant　exactly　kick　and

score；　but　once　in　a　while　hed　dribble　with　his　nose。　The

scent　of　a　ball　must　overwhelm　a　dog；　though；　because　Champ　would　eventually　try　to

chomp　it；　then　lose　the　ball　to　me。

When　the　Loskis　moving　van　finally　arrived；　everyone　in　my　family　was　happy。　“Little

Julianna”　was　finally　going　to　have　a　playmate。

My　mother；　being　the　truly　sensible　adult　that　she　is；　made　me　wait　more　than　an　hour

before　going　over　to　meet　him。　“Give　them　a　chance　to

stretch　their　legs；　Julianna；”　she　said。　“Theyll　want　some　time　to　adjust。”　She　wouldnt　even

let　me　watch　from　the　yard。　“I　know　you；　sweetheart。

Somehow　that　ball　will　wind　up　in　their　yard　and　youll　just　have　to　go　retrieve　it。”

So　I　watched　from　the　window；　and　every　few　minutes　Id　ask；　“Now？”　and　shed　say；　“Give

them　a　little　while　longer；　would　you？”

Then　the　phone　rang。　And　the　minute　I　was　sure　she　was　good　and　preoccupied；　I　tugged　on

her　sleeve　and　asked；　“Now？”

She　nodded　and　whispered；　“Okay；　but　take　it　easy！　Ill　be　over　there　in　a　minute。”

I　was　too　excited　not　to　charge　across　the　street；　but　I　did　try　very　hard　to　be　civilized　once　I

got　to　the　moving　van。　I　stood　outside　looking　in　for　a

record…breaking　length　of　time；　which　was　hard　because　there　he　was！　About　halfway　back！

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