Part IV: Spin – Special Delivery #5 (Chapter 77)
Please, please, please, please,
please, God, make them look so I don’t have to tell them.
But
no one was listening.
I
rehearsed how I would tell them:
“Oh,
by the way, a letter came today.”
No,
too casual.
I
have to act a little more excited and nervous about such an unusual event.
Otherwise, they might suspect something.
“Guess
what? A letter came Special Delivery!”
No,
too excited.
They
might say something like, “Go ahead and open it.”
I
couldn’t bear that.
Nana
did notice the burner still lit and asked why I hadn’t turned it off.
“I
forgot,” I said.
*
During
Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color
on our black and white set, I pointed to the anniversary clock.
“A
man came to the door and handed me that Special Delivery letter. I had to sign
for it.”
Nana
and Pappa dashed for the clock, both grabbing the letter. It ripped in half,
the adults standing in front of the monochromatic Walt Disney, clutching pieces
of blue paper.
“Let’s
go to your bedroom,” Nana said to Pappa.
After
they shut the door behind them, I turned up the volume and covered my ears with
my hands.
But
nothing could screen out the words of Johnny Lawrence replaying inside my head.
Nothing.
