“I have topull all the weeds in the whole backyard,” he said, pointing to an alreadyoverflowing bucket full of weeds.
“How come?” Iasked.
“Because Ilost my new mini-bike,” he said, unable to hold back another torrent of tears.
“Lost? How?”
“I rode itover to Julian’s house to play video games and didn’t lock it up. Then, when Icame out, it was gone.”
“Well, ifit’s lost then I can help you find it. Come on,” I said with all the confidenceof a junior detective about to set out on her next case.
“I can’t,”Flash sniffled. “I’m supposta stay back here until all the weeds are gone andlearn how to be…more…sponsible… with my things.” Flash was sobbing now.
I’d seenFlash cry after falling off his bike, or when Artax sank into the swamp ofsadness in The NeverEnding Story, but never like this.
“It’s okay.I’m sure your parents know you didn’t mean to lose your bike,” I said, pattinghis back.
“It’s notthat,” he cried.
“What is it,then?”
“It’s asecret,” Flash replied, looking around to make sure no grownups were nearby.
“You can tellme your secret,” I said.
“You have toswear to god you won’t tell anyone,” he demanded.
“I’m notsupposed to do that,” I whispered. “Mom says it’s bad.”
“Well, thenI’m not going to tell you the secret.”
I bit my lipand sighed. “Okay, fine, but don’t tell anyone I did.”
“I won’t.”
I dropped myhead back, looked up to the heavens, and timidly squeaked out, “Shit.”
“What are youdoing?”
“Swearing atgod,” I replied.
“What?”
“I know thatword is a swear because my dad says it whenever he’s fixing something aroundthe house and Mommy told me not to repeat it.”
“No, sweartogod, notatgod. That’s a different kind of swear.”
“Well, whatdo you know?” I asked, the flush of embarrassment burning my cheeks. “But nowthat I’ve done it, you have to. Or else God will just think I’m mad at him orsomething.”
“Okay fine,”he said. “But once we’ve both sworn at God, then you can never tell anyone mysecret, okay?”
I nodded.
Flash lookedaround once more to make sure the coast was clear and whisper shouted, “Fart.”
I giggled. “Idon’t think fart is a swear word.”
“Okay, then.I have a good one,” he said, before his launching his second attempt atblasphemy up to the clouds. “Asshole.”
