第27章 生日的承诺The Birthday Promise2（第1页）

第27章生日的承诺TheBirthdayPromise（2）

Thatbringstomiimemybelovedparakeet，BuckeyeBird，flewintpanwhileybreakfast。Iosedtolethimoutofhiscage，butIhad，andheburhoughtyou’dbesomadatme，butallyoukaboutwasgettientionforthatpoorbird。Thepharmacistthoughtyouwerenutswhebrandofantibioticcreamhewouldreendtorubo。

Speakingoffunnyanimalstories，doyouremypethamster，Browuthedryerhose?YoucalledSears，whereyou’dpurchasedtheclothesdryer，toaskhowwemightgethimoutofthepredit。Theytoldyoutoturnonthemadtheinitialthrustofairwouldpushhimthrough。Wedid，aheHamsterballflewthroughtheair。Daddycaughthiminhisbaseballglove。Itwashardtobelieve，buttheexplodioseeanotherday!

Whidsme。。。doyourecollectthetimeIblewupthestovewhiletryingtirlScoutgbadge?Ittookayearformyeyebrowsaogrowback。Yousleptwithmethatnightawasn’tmyfault。Still，itwasalongtimebeforeyouleftmealo。

&oldyouthisbefore，butaftermybakingfiasothersharedwithmeasecretaboutthepressurecivenyouasaweddinggift。Thefirsttimeyouusedit，you’dsetthetimerto“high”andyourdiofthekitlightfixture。GrandmatoldmeittookDaddyaweektoscrapeitofftheg。AtleastIonlylostfacialhair。

Yourmothermusticizedyou，becauseyouuredorpunishedmeforallthefoolishthingsIdidthroughtheyears。YousaidthateverythingerieasachildIhadaionaomyowndrummer。

IthinkI’mstillthatway，Mom。AndthatisexactlywhatItrytofowhenyhtersareyankingmy。They’redoiheymissyou。Bothofthemkeepaphotoofyouintheirlivingrorand，allfiveofthem，willtheir“NanaVirginia。”

Youroudofmygirls。YounevermissedaewhatagoodjobIwasdthemup。IwantyoutoknowhowmuchythatmeaI’thavedohoutyou。

Yhtersbothhaveyourtendernessay。Irememberthetimetheoldestoorunawayfromhome。Sheannouncedoverdishewasleavingtogolivewithhergras，sixblocksaway，becauseIwasmueaolockthekidinherroom。YousuggestedthatIletherworkitoutohatitwouldbealearningexperience。Shepackedsuchaheavysuitcase;shemadeitjustthreeblocksbeforeshecollapsedinfrontoftheneighborhoodbakery。Theownerdroveherhomeirudgaveheradozendoughilllooksatmeinafunny

Mom，doyouthinkthelessohatdayacklightwhentravelingadistawh。Shewastootiredtorecallwhyshewasangryandtoofullofidealdoughnutstocare。

&ly，yranddaughterwaslookingatallthepicturesyou’dtakewoofyouhadtraveledtottenhowmanytriesyou’dvisitedovertheyears。Idoremember，likeitwasyesterday，thecallgotsayingthatyouhadtocutshortyourHawaiianvisionbecauseyou’dbeenhurtbyasurfboardoWaikikiaystity。Yhterstayedupallnightaoyourhem，shemadealltheflightarraogetyouhome。Shewasonlythirteenyearsold。Youweresoproudofher。

Iknowthatfeelingtoday，Mom，whewohersmydaughtershavebee。

Asfrand，allIsayisthattheyhaveanoverabundaherthat，ettingold。Aphotooftheentirefamilysitsonmydresser。Everyonelookssohappy。Westillare。Ithoughtyou’dliketohearthat。It’sdifficultwithoutyou，butIthinkwe’refiingether。

It’sgettinglate，soI’mgoingtoputawayysforhisagaiyear，promise。

Happybirthday，Mom。