OCR Text |
Show V/JL V V WJ. That's when I remember the newspaper-the classifieds-the blue circles. Mom hadn't been scouting a place for a party; she'd been looking for a job. I feel dumb. "What kind of job?" I ask. . • . "Working for a dentist as a receptionist." , , , "You'll be good.at that," I say, and I mean it. "When will you know?" She places her hand behind her neckand squeezes, wincing. "Well, if I don't hear by tomorrow, then I guess I didn't get the job. I'll have to look for something else." I wait while she rinses the mop one last time, then announce, "I've decided to ride the bus to school-starting tomorrow." .,,'.- Mom almost drops the mop with surprise. "That's great, Bradley. You'll have a great year. The kind of year you deserve. And you'll like being with your friends." She opens the door to the garage and hangs the mop but to dry. When she returns, I ask the question I came to ask. "Have you ever seen a sea turtle, floating in the bay?" She lowers her glasses and admits, "I never have." "Amanda once told me that she had seen one-a big turtle floating just off our , dock-then later in the channel." , , "Nice,".Mom muses. "She probably did. They're not uncommon around here." "Was it true?" I ask. "Was it true what Amanda said about some turtles being magic? ' ",;. '* .j 7 '.. '•-; - ; - , -7 . . ' '•' '/''•.''' 7,'. s" Mom looks out the window. Her face is drawn, sober. "Amanda thought they were magic. I hope she was right." .,. "Me, too," I agree. |