pass your finals. I thought we made a decision about it
and that was that. You promised you would try if I
helped you. Harley Arnold," I scolded. "You can't just
give up because you hurt yourself. You can still see
out of that eye, can't you?"
"Yes," he said.
"Then you can read and write and you can
study. Now, I'm going home. You're getting up,
getting dressed, gathering your books and coming
over in..." I looked at my watch. "In twenty minutes.
We'll put in two hours."
"Two hours!"
"Two hours and not a minute less." I turned and
walked to the door. "And," I said turning. "brush your
teeth and your hair."
He started to smile and then groaned with the
pain. "Maybe you finally learned something about
that temper of yours." I said. And then I added. But I
doubt it."
I closed the door behind me, let out a breath
and then smiled to myself and hurried down the stairs.
A little less than twenty minutes later. Harley was at
my front door, his books under his right arm, his hair
neatly brushed back.
"Do I meet inspection?" he asked.
"We'll see." I said. "We'll use the office." I had
already told Mommy and Daddy that Harley was
coming over to study. They were in the family room
watching television. I had warned them about Harley's
black eye. I gave them Harley's explanation, but they