My plan was to walk
over two blocks and then just keep walking straight. I didn't
mind walking and of course the weather was nice. Soon, good
old Chick-fil-A #6 loomed ahead. Oh, Chick-fil-A is just
my way of remembering C. F. #6. I just love Chick-fil-A.
No one makes a better chicken sandwich-one plus for central
Florida. Back to CF #6, my new school. It was a big, one
story block and stucco building (what else?) that sprawled
and seemed to go on endlessly. I looked at my watch-14 minutes
and 18 seconds. Mission accomplished! I turned, deciding
to see how much faster I could make the return trip home.
I was panting as I approached our block. My time was great,
11 minutes and 13 seconds. I looked for our car and then
remembered that Mom was going to the grocery store.
Walking slowly I began
to survey the houses. Each one looked alike! Now was our
house the fifth one or the sixth one, or the seventh house?
I could feel a panic attack coming on. I made myself breathe
slowly. I knew our house was here someplace. As I stood
there looking at the endless homes that stretched on and
on I began to feel queasy inside. How long did I stand-I
don't know. After about three stomach turnings, two long
breaths and 32 gasps, I heard the familiar sound of our
Santa Fe and saw my mother pull into a driveway of the sixth
house. Relief was quickly followed by embarrassment. How
could I be so stupid?
Then I noticed our
two sago palms. Yes! We were the only house with two of
them out front. In the future I wouldn't have to fear walking
up to a door and wondering why it didn't open. Wrong key?
How about wrong house?
The first time Amy
came to my house (after she promised not to breathe thru
her nose to avoid the musty smell) she helped my mother
set the table, stir the gravy, assemble the salad, and clean
up. "Oh, Mrs. Putnam, she said, "I just love your
Pfalscraft dishes." I loved them too, especially the
screeching noise my fork made whenever I scraped it on my
plate. My father hated those plates for exactly that reason.
I swear, I did not understand Amy's logic.
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