in his hands。 “Juli！” he said。 “What are you still doing
here？”
He startled me； too。 I didn't know what I was still doing there。 And I was so flustered that I
would probably just have run home if he hadn't started
struggling with the trash； trying to shove the contents down。
I reached over and said； “Do you need some help？” because it looked like he was about to
spill the trash。 Then I saw the corner of an egg carton。
This wasn't just any egg carton either。 It was my egg carton。 The one I'd just brought him。
And through the little blue cardboard arcs I could see
eggs。
I looked from him to the eggs and said； “What happened？ Did you drop them？”
“Yeah；” he said quickly。 “Yeah； and I'm really sorry about that。”
He tried to stop me； but I took the carton from the trash； saying； “All of them？” I opened the
carton and gasped。 Six whole； perfect eggs。 “Why'd
you throw them away？”
He pushed past me and went around the house to the trash bin； and I followed him； waiting
for an answer。
He shook the garbage out； then turned to face me。 “Does the word salmonella mean
anything to you？”
“Salmonella？ But …”
“My mom doesn't think it's worth the risk。”
I followed him back to the porch。 “Are you saying she won't eat them because—”
“Because she's afraid of being poisoned。”
……… Page 36………
“Poisoned！ Why？”
“Because your b