• i'd never noticed before how old and slow my neighbor looked lately. as he shuffled down his walkway to get his mail, i silently wondered about his behavior. the man used to get his riding mower out of the side garage and cut the green, slightly shaggy grass covering his front and back lawns. i don't even remember the last time he felt motivated enough to OPEN the garage. Sometimes, he would walk briskly to his mailbox, whistling some random jubilant tune. Now, he just stared down at his feet as they inched him toward the mailbox, and occasionaly looked up to find me standing in my driveway, waiting for the school bus to pick me up.
    in these moments, i would just smile and wave tentatively.
    he usually turned his attention back to his feet.
    i didn't notice until now how he seemed to be retrieving the mail...grudgingly. maybe he was havin some trouble with bills or the IRS. you know, the usual stuff adults are belly aching about in their heads.
    slowly, gently, i eased my mind toward his. when i finally heard the thoughts causing a slight hum i his thoughts, i realized the reason for his reproach toward his mail.
    Although i wasn't shocked by the revelation, i still quietly gasped aloud.
    there was no way in hell that mr. turco knew what i had just done, so it added to the startled look on his face and the interruption of his thoughts.
    i looked across the street at benny's house, careful not to lose my hold on mr. turco's suddenly inquisitive thoughts. the silent voice only i could hear was wondering what happened to surprise me, until it concluded i was crazy. in his eyes, this reasoning would be just, considering that just yesterday i had chased olyshawon all the way to his home when my temper had flared. all mr. turco knew about this incident was i was hideously angry, though he had no idea why.
    it was actually because the mongrels at the front of the bus jeered at mr. turco's christmas decorations. they were eight georgia tech yellow jackets acting as santa's eight reigndeer. all i remember thinking was , "how dare they make fun of that poor old man? at least he decorated his house unlike those brats."
    as i walked down the bus isle, i briefly considered pushing olyshawon offf the stairs and thouht better of it. i would get him when we were off the bus. i DID growl at him to hurry up though, which resulted in me being called vicious. as soon as the bus had traveled ten feet away, the chase began.
    i almost knocked the jerk off his feet.
    i walked back to my house listening to olyshawon grumbling, the kids on the bus roaring with laughter at the winded boy, and my hard breathing filled my ears. oh and with a quick glance up, i saw mr. turco wearing an amused, yet bewildered, expression.
    mr. turco's thoughts we now turned to the mail.
    he was not happy with the possibility of finding a letter from his ex wife.
    i'm not really sure what happened to mrs. turco. all i know is that mr. turco had left her for a younger woman and would occasionally stop by to take care of yard work. i rarely saw the heartbroken woman (you should've heard her thoughts- i almost asked mom for a therapist) until one day, i noted that she was no longer there. new thoughts seeping from the house indicated that mr. turco was back after breaking up with his girlfriend.
    mr. turco wasn't sure what this dooming letter would say, but he was positive it would be unpleasant.
    unfortunately i could no longer listen to his mind because the bus had arrived at the corner.




    none of the thoughts on the bus were different. olyshawon was mentally debating whether or not to throw a few insults my way. he decided he would wait; i clenched my jaw.
    for some reason, i was doing that a lot lately without much provocation. the slightest things threatened the control i maintained over my anger. i'd been discussing it with my friends;it did me no good.
    armendy seemed thoroughly worried about a math test. i'd been tutoring her lately but her confidence in her mathematic ability still wavered when it came time for tests and quizzes.
    because no one knew i could hear thoughts and emotions, i was forced to remain silent until armendy mentioned her doubts about the upcoming test.
    she didn't think before she spoke just then, so i had no idea what she was going to say before she said it. it wasn't totally shocking; just a bit random.
    "jesse moved out."
    "when?" i asked.
    "yesterday. he finished packing his last box and then said his goodbyes. after he was done, he left." she explained.
    "where would he go?" i asked, unable to keep the incredulous edge out of my question.