第16部分(第4/8 頁)

it　we're　starting　on　the　fence　today？”

Chet　taught　me　how　to　plumb　a　line　for　the　pickets；　how　to　hold　a　hammer　down　on　the　end

of　the　handle　instead　of　choking　up　on　it；　how　to

calculate　an　adjusted　spacing　for　the　pickets；　and　how　to　use　a　level　to　get　the　wood　exactly

vertical。　We　worked　on　the　fence　for　days；　and　the

whole　time　we　worked　we　talked。　It　wasn't　just　about　his　wife；　either。　He　wanted　to　know

about　the　sycamore　tree　and　seemed　to　understand　exactly

what　I　meant　when　I　told　about　the　whole　being　greater　than　the　sum　of　its　parts。　“It's　that

way　with　people；　too；”　he　said；　“only　with　people　it's

sometimes　that　the　whole　is　less　than　the　sum　of　the　parts。”

………　Page　49………

I　thought　that　was　pretty　interesting。　And　the　next　day　during　school　I　looked　around　at　the

people　I'd　known　since　elementary　school；　trying　to

figure　out　if　they　were　more　or　less　than　the　sum　of　their　parts。　Chet　was　right。　A　lot　of　them

were　less。

Top　of　the　list；　of　course；　was　Shelly　Stalls。　To　look　at　her；　you'd　think　she　had　everything；

but　there's　not　much　solid　underneath　her　Mount

Everest　hair。　And　even　though　she's　like　a　black　hole　at　sucking　people　in；　it　doesn't　take

them　long　to　figure　out　that　being　friends　with　her　requires

fanning　the　flames　of　a　wildfire　ego。

But　of　all　my　classmates；　the　one　person　I　couldn't　seem　to　place　was　Bryce。　Unti