bikes　are　going　to　need　a　lot

of　help　before　they'll　run　again。〃　My　face　didn't　look　worried　enough；　so　he

continued。　〃I'm　talking　about

maybe　more　than　a　hundred　dollars　here。〃

I　pulled　my　checkbook　out；　fanned　myself　with　it；　and　rolled　my　eyes　at　his

worries。　〃We're　covered。〃

It　was　a　very　strange　kind　of　day。　I　enjoyed　myself。　Even　at　the　dump；　in　the

slopping　rain　and

ankle…deep　mud。　I　wondered　at　first　if　it　was　just　the　aftershock　of　losing

the　numbness；　but　I　didn't　think

that　was　enough　of　an　explanation。

I　was　beginning　to　think　it　was　mostly　Jacob。　It　wasn't　just　that　he　was

always　so　happy　to　see　me；　or

that　he　didn't　watch　me　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　waiting　for　me　to　do

something　that　would　mark　me

as　crazy　or　depressed。　It　was　nothing　that　related　to　me　at　all。

It　was　Jacob　himself。　Jacob　was　simply　a　perpetually　happy　person；　and　he

carried　that　happiness　with

him　like　an　aura；　sharing　it　with　whoever　was　near　him。　Like　an　earthbound

sun；　whenever　someone　was

within　his　gravitational　pull；　Jacob　warmed　them。　It　was　natural；　a　part　of

who　he　was。　No　wonder　I　was

so　eager　to　see　him。

Even　when　he　mented　on　the　gaping　hole　in　my　dashboard；　it　didn't　send　me

into　a　panic　like　it

should　have。

〃Did　the　stereo　break？〃　he　wondered。

〃Yeah；〃　I　lied。

He　poked　around　in　the　cavity。　〃Who　took　it　out？　There's　a　lot　of　damage〃

〃I　did；〃　I　admitted。

He　laughed。　〃Maybe　you　shouldn't　touch　the　motorcycles　too　much。〃

〃No　problem。〃

According　to　Jacob；　we　did　get　lucky　at　the　dump。　He　was　very　excited　about

several　grease…blackened

piece