eher’sextremeanddespairingdition，herheartwasfilledwithonlyloveandnottheslightestvestigeofhate．

    13

    "IfIremembercorrectly，it’syourtwenty-firstbirthdaytoday,Laverne，AmIright?"

    "Yes，mom，itis.”

    "Happybirthday，mydear．I’msosorrythatwearenotabletocelebrateitforyouwithpresents，abirthdaycakeandaparty．Orary，thewholefamilyhasbeenaheavyburdenonyou.”Laverne’seyesfilledwithtearsandshereplied,

    "Saynomore,mom．We’reafamily．It’sverystuffyinyourroom．Dad’soutinthebackyard．Wouldyoulikemetopushyoutheretooforsomefreshair?"

    "Thatwouldbenice.”LaverlypushedMrs．JohnsoothegardeoMr．Johnson’schair．

    Laverne’sslenderfigurecouldbeseelymovingaroundi，preparingdinner．Fromthewindowwhichlookedoutonthebackyard,shecouldseetheoldcouple，bothsmotedownharshlybythesamefate，yetstillfullofloveandpassion．Mr．Johnsonwasfeedinghiswifeslicesofappledippedinmayonnaise，herfavoritesnack．Hewasaverypassionateman,whotookcareofhiswife，the"speakingdeadbody"withoutanypints．Therewasnoexpnationforthatexceptloveandrespeanlife．WheLavernelookedagain，shesawMr．Johnsonhadputawoolenhiswife’shead，wheremedicationhadcausedgreatlossofhair．Mrs．Johnsonhadfallenasleepandyuhetree，caressedbytheeveningbreeze．Shesleptonwithanaive，infant-likesmileonherface．Perhapsshewasthinkingofherfirsthappydayonthisearth,thedayshewasborn．

    Freshoutoftheshower，Marksatbythedie，hiswethairlypartedandbed．Hisrotundbodyandchubbycheeksgavehimthelookofadocile,rownboy．HisrgerollingeyesfollowedLaverne’severymovementandhissimplemiobestrugglingwithsomeperplexingproblem．Laverne’sheartwaswiththeoldcoupleinthegarden．Shelovedthemandwaswillingtogivethemherall，althoughshewasnobloodretiohappytakingcareofthem，eventhoughshewasnotamemberofthefamily．Walkingtowardsthedie，shepattedMark’scheeksandsaid，

    "WhatareyouthinkingofMarkyboy?"

    "I’mthinkingaboutamathematicalproblem.”

    "youtellmeaboutit?"

    13

    "Youtaughtmetenfingersaoesmaketwenty.”

    "Right．Tenandtewenty.”

    "Foryouitmayberight,butforme,it’swrong.”

    "Howso?tyersandtoes．Doyouhavemorethay?"

    "Forme，tenandtewenty-one.”Unzippinghimself,hepulledouthispenisandsaid，"Addthisoneandyougettwenty-one!"Laverneblushedredasabeetatthisbtantimpertinence．ShefeltMarkwasbeingdeliberatelyimpertiandrudetoher，butshecouldnotbelievehissimplemindcapableofsuchduplicity．

    "Imustcookdinnerandhavenotimetuewithyou．Putitbatoyourpants．I’vetoldyoutimeandagaiotakeitoutinfrontofpeople．Ifyoudon’tlistentome，Iwon’tpywithyouanymore.”Withthat，Laverurnedherbaaaboutherwork．Sheghimowicesurreptitiouslyandcatedtofindheshowednotrabarrassmentatherrebuff．Hewasstillhisnormalsimpleself．Toher，itsighathisoutbreakwasuional．

    "Iheardmomsayit’syourbirthdaytoday.”

    "Yes,itis．Doyouhaveasforme?"

    "Ofcourse．Thatmelhthomewasforyou.”Laverouchedthatherememberedherbirthdayandthoughtitwouldbeoshareitwithsomeone．

    "Mark，willyougetthemelonoutoftherefrigeratorandputitoableforme,please?"Markeagerlyjumpeddownfromhisseatandcarriedoutherorders．Laverookoutalongknifeandtothewatermelon．Tohe

eher’sextremeanddespairingdition，herheartwasfilledwithonlyloveandnottheslightestvestigeofhate．

    13

    "IfIremembercorrectly，it’syourtwenty-firstbirthdaytoday,Laverne，AmIright?"

    "Yes，mom，itis.”

    "Happybirthday，mydear．I’msosorrythatwearenotabletocelebrateitforyouwithpresents，abirthdaycakeandaparty．Orary，thewholefamilyhasbeenaheavyburdenonyou.”Laverne’seyesfilledwithtearsandshereplied,

    "Saynomore,mom．We’reafamily．It’sverystuffyinyourroom．Dad’soutinthebackyard．Wouldyoulikemetopushyoutheretooforsomefreshair?"

    "Thatwouldbenice.”LaverlypushedMrs．JohnsoothegardeoMr．Johnson’schair．

    Laverne’sslenderfigurecouldbeseelymovingaroundi，preparingdinner．Fromthewindowwhichlookedoutonthebackyard,shecouldseetheoldcouple，bothsmotedownharshlybythesamefate，yetstillfullofloveandpassion．Mr．Johnsonwasfeedinghiswifeslicesofappledippedinmayonnaise，herfavoritesnack．Hewasaverypassionateman,whotookcareofhiswife，the"speakingdeadbody"withoutanypints．Therewasnoexpnationforthatexceptloveandrespeanlife．WheLavernelookedagain，shesawMr．Johnsonhadputawoolenhiswife’shead，wheremedicationhadcausedgreatlossofhair．Mrs．Johnsonhadfallenasleepandyuhetree，caressedbytheeveningbreeze．Shesleptonwithanaive，infant-likesmileonherface．Perhapsshewasthinkingofherfirsthappydayonthisearth,thedayshewasborn．

    Freshoutoftheshower，Marksatbythedie，hiswethairlypartedandbed．Hisrotundbodyandchubbycheeksgavehimthelookofadocile,rownboy．HisrgerollingeyesfollowedLaverne’severymovementandhissimplemiobestrugglingwithsomeperplexingproblem．Laverne’sheartwaswiththeoldcoupleinthegarden．Shelovedthemandwaswillingtogivethemherall，althoughshewasnobloodretiohappytakingcareofthem，eventhoughshewasnotamemberofthefamily．Walkingtowardsthedie，shepattedMark’scheeksandsaid，

    "WhatareyouthinkingofMarkyboy?"

    "I’mthinkingaboutamathematicalproblem.”

    "youtellmeaboutit?"

    13

    "Youtaughtmetenfingersaoesmaketwenty.”

    "Right．Tenandtewenty.”

    "Foryouitmayberight,butforme,it’swrong.”

    "Howso?tyersandtoes．Doyouhavemorethay?"

    "Forme，tenandtewenty-one.”Unzippinghimself,hepulledouthispenisandsaid，"Addthisoneandyougettwenty-one!"Laverneblushedredasabeetatthisbtantimpertinence．ShefeltMarkwasbeingdeliberatelyimpertiandrudetoher，butshecouldnotbelievehissimplemindcapableofsuchduplicity．

    "Imustcookdinnerandhavenotimetuewithyou．Putitbatoyourpants．I’vetoldyoutimeandagaiotakeitoutinfrontofpeople．Ifyoudon’tlistentome，Iwon’tpywithyouanymore.”Withthat，Laverurnedherbaaaboutherwork．Sheghimowicesurreptitiouslyandcatedtofindheshowednotrabarrassmentatherrebuff．Hewasstillhisnormalsimpleself．Toher，itsighathisoutbreakwasuional．

    "Iheardmomsayit’syourbirthdaytoday.”

    "Yes,itis．Doyouhaveasforme?"

    "Ofcourse．Thatmelhthomewasforyou.”Laverouchedthatherememberedherbirthdayandthoughtitwouldbeoshareitwithsomeone．

    "Mark，willyougetthemelonoutoftherefrigeratorandputitoableforme,please?"Markeagerlyjumpeddownfromhisseatandcarriedoutherorders．Laverookoutalongknifeandtothewatermelon．Tohe