way　she　ignored　me；　or　so

obviously　avoided　me；　was　a　screaming　loud　reminder　to　me

that　I'd　been　a　jerk。　A　royal　cluck…faced　jerk。

Then　one　day　I'm　ing　home　from　hanging　out　with　Garrett　after　school；　and　there's　Juli　in

her　front　yard；　hacking　at　a　shrub。　She　is　thrashing

on　the　thing。　Branches　are　flying　over　her　shoulder；　and　clear　across　the　street　I　can　hear　her

grunting　and　growling　and　saying　stuff　like；　“No…

you…　don't！　You　are　ing…　off…　whether　you　like　it　or　…not！”

Did　I　feel　good　about　this？　No；　my　friend；　I　did　not。　Yeah；　their　yard　was　a　mess；　and　it　was

about　time　someone　did　something　about　it；　but

c'mon　—　where's　the　dad？　What　about　Matt　and　Mike？　Why　Juli？

Because　I'd　embarrassed　her　into　it；　that's　why。　I　felt　worse　than　ever。

So　I　snuck　inside　and　tried　to　ignore　the　fact　that　here's　my　desk　and　here's　my　window；　and

right　across　the　street　from　me　is　Juli；　beating　up　a

bush。　Not　conducive　to　concentration。　No　siree；　Bob。　I　got　all　of　zero　homework　done。

The　next　day　at　school　I　was　trying　to　get　up　the　nerve　to　say　something　to　her；　but　I　never

even　got　the　chance。　She　wouldn't　let　me　get　anywhere

near　her。

Then　on　the　ride　home　I　had　this　thought。　It　kind　of　freaked　me　out　at　first；　but　the　more　I

played　with　it；　the　more　I　figured　that；　yeah；　helping　her

with　the　yard　would　make　up　for　my　having　been　such　a　jerk。　Assuming　she　didn't　boss　me

too　much；　and　assuming　she　didn't　decide　to　get　all

………　Page　37………

gooey…eyed　or　something　stupid　like　that。　No；　I'd　go　up　and　just　tell　her　that　I　felt　bad　for

being　a　jerk　and　I　wanted　to　make　it　up　to　her　by　helping　her

cut　back　some　b