Michael Malone - Weebly

Lying in the sun, Joy Strummer's little spaniel did
not move when the mower passed.
"Whatcha doing?" called Polly from the kitchen
door.
"Nothing." He quit and walked to his car. "See ya,
okay? The money for that bike's stuck behind the
phone. Brand-new bike!"
She pushed her glasses up on her nose. "I told you.
The guy at the filling station said somebody did it on
purpose. It wasn't my fault."
"Fine. Nobody's blaming you." He pushed his
glasses up on his nose. "But do me a favor, change your
clothes before you go over to Ramona Dingley's. And
tell her I said hello." As Hedgerow backed his car out,
he watched his daughter slide her bare feet
(unfortunately resembling his) back and forth in the
freshly cut grass. He wondered how many days she'd
been in those same jeans and shirt.
"I forgot," he called. "There's a mash note for you
on the table. I found it stuck in the screen door. And
listen, we have to work on this yard when I get home,
okay?"