to say t to put it mildly. tty muc to do. But because of Jamies prese really became somet mucs. e finis performance a c evening even more people s. Even Eric came up to me afterulated me, wer w o me before was somew of a surprise.
"t; ;Im proud of you, buddy.”
, Miss Garber , "Marvelous!" to anyone o o be , repeating it over and over so muc I kept on long after I to bed t niger ains closed for time, and spotted o tears in time Id ever seen into ime. roking ;My angel," to myself choking up.
t;rig; I realized, so bad after all.
After t go of eac proudly motioned for o visit of t, and s a boatload of gratulations from everyone backstage. S on telling people s kno. S ty, it came across in a totally different ood in tting , and Ill admit t of me t felt like old . I couldnt be tle proud as o one side, sopping when she was close.
Looking up at me, s;t you did. You made my father very happy.”
"Youre ; I said, meaning it.
tra, I realized t y to walk here.
t ting off because of all tting tty ion at nig to bed. Even so, I couldnt t Jamie.
Jamies transformation during tartling, to say t, and I assumed it kno I did, and so I was amazed w m back dressed like er, , and all.
One look took, and I couldnt feel sorry for s it slip ale o talked to told a good job soo, but I could tell rig it going to last. Attitudes fed since co break, and part of me mig people actually knew s even beore less.
I ed to talk to my impressions, I really did, but I o do so after t only did I to do, but I ed a little time to t o tell o be , I ill feeling a little guilty about to just because turned out great. It o do t in all our time toget kind, and I kne Id been wrong.
I dido talk to me, eito tell you trut lunc off in t so as I o tell about my ts, I agreed. For old times sake, you see.
A mier Jamie got doo business.
"Do you remember t walk ; she asked.
I nodded, wis broug up.
"You promised to make it up to me," she said.
For a moment I Id do already on.
"ell, Ive been t ; sinued letti a ;and t Ive e up h.”
S mind gat out in businesses all over to on ters, usually ers, so t people could drop to go to ted to ask people straig for ted to give voluntarily. t, in ian to do.
I remembered seeing tainers in places like Cecils Diner and ter. My friends and I used to toss paper clips and slugs in t looking, si of like a being dropped io ourselves about ting someto joke about ing somet, and s out and find not slugs and paper clips. Sometimes, makes you s exactly w I did.
Jamie sahe look on my face.
"You dont o do it," sed. "I t since Cmas is ing up so quickly and I dont ll simply take me too long to collect them all. . . .”
"No," I said cutting ;Ill do it. I dont o do anyway.”
So ts arting ednesday, eves to study for, even application needing to be finis of every place sarted at to out about sixty s in all, and I figured t it ake only a day to collect to putting t, it aken Jamie almost six o do because s o find sixty empty jars and s and t out only t a time. arted out, I felt sort of funny about being t it , but I kept telling myself t Jamie o help.
I from busio business, colleg t day I realized it o take a little lo.
Id picked up only about ty tainers or so, because Id fotten one simple fact of life in Beaufort. In a small to o simply run inside and grab t g or or saying o someone else you mig just done. So Id sit talking about t fall, or tion t ted my opinion on ore. Jamie, I ko act like I t s me to. It er all.
to keep t stop to cake i dumped one jar or into t, bining t along. By t day all to my room. I sa too many-but I actually nervous until I emptied tents onto my floor and sa ted primarily of pe nearly as many slugs or paper clips as Id t t be, I ill disened a lot of money, especially wy kids.
I did disced, t it ake, I out t day, ted y proprietors ake: $23.89.
ter ting up t believe it. terfront, s and teenagers like me . e think.
Seeing tle ed in all-$55.73-made me feel a t for almost a imes. t nigo call Jamie to tell Id collected, but I just couldnt do it. Sold me ed sometra special t going to do it-even I kne. Instead I lied to old I going to t total until t toget mi too depressing. I promised t over ternoon, after sc out. t day est day of tmas was only four days away.
"Landon," so me after ting it up, "this is a miracle!”
"; I asked. I knely was.
"t t in ts acked i little piles all over t all quarters and dimes. c table, ing urned he sound of her voice.
"Do you ts enoug; I asked ily.
Little tears believing of er t been nearly t at me.
"Its . . . ; sion t;Last year, I only collected seventy dollars.”
"Im glad it better t; I said t . "If you placed t so early in t not ed nearly as much.”
I kno I didnt care. For o to do.
I didnt toys-I figured ster a I go o tmas Eve so t I could be ts.
"Please, Landon," sed and all, I just didnt to turn her down.
So ter, y at toot and my best tie and o my moms car be my last feer because t o get exactly t person to shop for.
I o be at t seven, but ty port, and I o until an outbound freigs , I arrived a fees late. t door time, and I o pound on it until Mr. Jenkins finally of keys until one, and a moment later epped inside, patting my arms to he chill.
"A; ;eve been ing for you. , Ill take you to where everyone is.”
o t a moment to exhale deeply before finally heading in.
It ter than Id imagined.
In ter of t tree, decorated insel and colored lig s. Beree, spread in all dires, s of every size and sting close toget clote collared ss, , and most of t.
On table beside tters of cookies, smas trees and sprinkled s sitting ting on ts laps, t tention as teo " t Before Cmas.”
I didnt see Jamie, t least n. It . Sory, and I finally located ting on t of tree beh her.
to my surprise, I sa tonig as it of tead of times, ser t someuated t blue eyes. Even sparkles in e flo of ing. it even notig it, Id bee tain trol.
Jamie paused only oo look up from tory. Siced me standing in t back to reading to t took e or so to finisood up and smoot, to make o knoo go, I stayed where I was.
By then Mr. Jenkins had slipped away.
"Im sorry arted you," s;but t so excited.”
"Its okay," I said, smiling, thinking how nice she looked.
"Im so glad you could e.”
"So am I.”
Jamie smiled and reaco lead t; ; she said.
" ts.”
e spent t t, and cos t ts t Jamie boug t some tossed around ted frenzy, t every least, it seemed t all of ted, and t thanking Jamie over and over.
By time t tled and all ts mospo calm doidied up by Mr. Jenkins and a , and some of to fall asleep beree. Some of to ts, and ts on t tree lig a;Silent Nig; played softly on a p up in till sitting on t to Jamie, alk, not t eit ts on tree, and I rutold, I didnt kno sender look about -no,I k Cmas Eve Id ever spent.
I gla s gloy as anyone Id ever seen.
"I boug; I finally said to ;A gift, I mean." I spoke softly so I tle girl, and I would he nervousness in my voice.
Surned from tree to face me, smiling softly. "You didnt o do t." S oo, and it sounded almost musical.
"I kno; I said. "But I ed to." Id kept t off to one side, and I reac, -o her.
"Could you open it for me? My no; S ttle girl, to me.
"You dont o open it no," I said, s;its really not t big of a deal.”
"Dont be silly," s;I in front of you.”
to clear my mind, I looked at t and started opening it, pig at tape so t it make mucil I reacer setting to ted t ter, up to s I figured she could use a new one.
pared expect mu.
"See, ts all. I told you it muc; I said. I disappointed in it.
"Its beautiful, Landon," sly. "Ill t time I see you. thank you.”
e sat quietly for a moment, and once again I began to look at ts.
"I brougoo," Jamie finally ree, and my eyes folloill beree, partially and, and I reac. It angular, flexible, and a little it to my lap and t even trying to open it.
"Open it," s at me.
"You t give to me," I said breat believe remble.
"Please," so me voice Id ever ;open it. I you to .”
Relutly I slo gently, afraid to damage it. I stared at it, mesmerized, and sloed .
I gla knoo say.
Jamie had given me her Bible.
"t you did," so me. "It Cmas Ive ever had.”
I turned a responding and reay glass of punc;Silent Nig; ill playing, and took a sip to soot. As I drank, all times Id spent o my mind. I t about t s nig about t about times Id he orphans.
As t still. I looked at Jamie, to t to keep my posure, to Jamie again. S me and I smiled at h a girl like Jamie Sullivan.
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