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Show -4- Peppermint Monday do you?" It bothered me that Russ spent so much time with Jake too. It bothered me even more that pa and ma didn't tell Jake to stay away. Politely, of course, but they could still tell him. Jake was always dirty, and ornery to everybody except Russ. He lived up in the hills, all alone, and without electricity or proper plumbing. He always rode his mules instead of driving a car or truck, and I'd heard he couldn't read or write. It was hillbillies like him that made most city folks think we were backwoods and almost unamerican. "I don't much like it either," I said without looking at Jason. I kept my eyes on the waxed dogwood blossoms, it was easier talking about Russ that way. "I wish there was something we could do, but I doubt there is. I think Jake is about the only friend Russ has that he's comfortable with. He doesn't expect him to run and play like the other kids do. Jake accepts him like he is, like we do, only it's more important when Jake does, cuz he's not related." Even though I hadn't purposely meant to, I found myself using the same reasoning I'd heard ma use. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But itte hard to be teased about it. Does anybody ever needle you about them?" "Sometimes," I said shrugging my shoulders as if it didn't matter. I didn't want Jason to see how bad it did bother me. Especially when Renae said things about Jake and Russ. One day during physical education class she was talking to her little group, and spoke up extra loud so I could hear. "No wonder Russell Hodkins doesn't go to school,"she'd said. He has his private tutor. Just think how much he's learning from dumb old Jake." She'd wrinkled up her nose in mock disgust and let out a throaty little |