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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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