@@@@@Because I didn't like itThe tennis balls
@@@@@Because I didn't like
itThe tennis balls were the wrong color because
I hadn't had the right shade of green, but that
wasn't why; I hated it because it felt all wrong
It felt like heartbreak
"I love it!" she said, and then did laugh"C'mon,
when did you do it? Give
"While you were sleepingI went to lie down, but
I felt queasy again, so I thought I better stay
vertical for awhileI decided to draw a little,
see if things would settleI didn't realize I had
that thing in my hand until I got up here I
pointed to Reba, sitting propped against the
window with her stuffed legs sticking out
"That's the doll you're supposed to yell at when
you forget things, right?"
"Something like thatAnyway, I drew the picture
It took maybe an hourBy the time I was finished,
I felt better Although I remembered very little
about making the drawing, I remembered enough to
170
know this story was a lie"Then I lay down and
took a nap
"Can I have it?"
I felt a surge of dismay, but couldn't think of a
way to say no that wouldn't hurt her feelings or
sound crazy"If you really want itIt's not much,
thoughWouldn't you rather have one of
Freemantle's Famous Sunsets? Or the mailbox with
the rocking horse! I could-"
"This is the one I want," she said"It's funny
and sweet and even a littleYou look at her one way and you say, 'A
doll' You look another way and say, 'No, a little
girl - after all, isn't she standing up?' It's
amazing how much you've learned to do with colored
pencils She nodded decisively"This is the one
I w