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I tripped on a rock and gashed my head and knees and it poured rain and the papers got wet and the people were mad.
    But here we were now: me, Luke, Mom, and Dad back at Mrs. Falala’s because my mother had volunteered me and Luke to help.
    To help with what we did not know.

THE BARN
    Oh, that sneaky Mrs. Falala, how she
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  s m i l e d
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  at my parents
    such a sweet, sweet
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  s m i l e
    and how she put her gnarly fingers together in
    a little prayer pose beneath her chin
    and how she pouted at me and at Luke
    as if we had hurt her feelings—
    oh, that sneaky Mrs. Falala.
    When Luke and I apologized for our recent “disrespectful” behavior—an apology my parents made us rehearse on our way over to Mrs. Falala’s house—Mrs. Falala stared at us for
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  one
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  two
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  three
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  eternities
    or so it seemed
    and she said not a word
    until finally my mother said
    Now is there something that Reena and Luke can help you with?
    Yes! said Mrs. Falala so suddenly and loudly that Luke skittered back against the door and I reached for my father’s arm. Yes! There eez barn first! Come! Mrs. Falala lunged through the side door, swirling her bony arm like a windmill, ordering us to follow across the scrabbly yard to a small, old, gray barn andinto its dark interior and down the aisle that smelled of sawdust and out the other side and around the back to a fenced area that bordered one of the barn stalls.
    There! said Mrs. Falala, pointing to a dank sawdusty courtyard splotted with smelly cow dung and flies. To scoop! To shovel!
    Ah , Dad said, you’d like the kids to help you, erm, clean the pen?
    Yes! To scoop! To shovel!
    I was trying not to gag from the smell. Luke’s lower lip was quivering. Mom’s hand covered her nose and mouth.
    Well , Dad said, that doesn’t sound too hard, does it, kids? I’m sure they could help you out, Mrs. Falala. Right, kids? Reena? Luke? Right?
    Right? Mom echoed.
    Luke pinched my arm and buried his face against my back.
    Right? Dad said.
    I stood up straight. I looked Mrs. Falala in the eye. She blinked innocently and tilted her head daintily to one side, waiting for my answer.
    Right , I said.

SCOOP AND SHOVEL
    We scooped
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  p      i      l      e      s
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  i
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  l
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  e
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  s

    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  of
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  C      O      W
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  D      U      N      G
    we shoveled
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  we gagged
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  we swatted flies         flies
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  flies flies