brother Danny was four. As she watched Janet play, she remembered when she That seemed so long was six herself. ago to her. She had changed quite a bit since then. She was much bigger now, and she wore her shoulder length hair straight instead of in pigtails. While her cousins played, Wendy looked across the street at the big house, then at the swingset. The chain on one of the swings was broken, or maybe it was just Wendy hoped that it was unfastened. just unfastened. Everytime she looked at it she wanted to go over and fix it, or at least see if it could be fixed. Finally she decided to go over. When she reached the swingset, she stopped and looked at i+ The chain was just unfastened, but it was tangled up in the other swing. She also noticed that part of the glider seat had broken off and the metal had rusted quite a bit since she had seen it. she was_ startled by the Suddenly, sound of a car coming down the road. As she started back across the street she recognized it. She reached the street as it turned into the driveway. Keith stuck his head out of the car window and yelled, “Hey Wendy, what ya doin’.” She ran across the street and went into the house. a few After minutes, she told her to come you care if she mon, come would Keith came, she and talk to her, and things would same again, at the same time she came but over be the she time was afraid that they never would be. Wendy noticed that something was difthe ferent, next out, when ae she first saw the two houses from far down the road. She couldn't tell exactly what it was until her family car got closer to them. Then it hit her. The beautiful old swingset that she loved so much was gone. In it’s place was a shiny new, red, white, and blue one. Wendy knew she would miss the old swingset. Wendy had come out with her family to pick vegetables, but she stayed at the go then he turned “Suzy, now.| Suzy Mom to his little sister and wants grumbled and you started her things. The smile left Wendy's walked up the driveway 12 come to ell = face as Keith to where she his She smiled catch up with or, if he is irst, because she across it c : g thought of Ov I’m only tan coat and brown he e looked at her, he wondered she ed him a. e did remember hi im. bered oeall da the things that th ey : ifnce had done eo ob ing those summer days so ae _ wished that she could sé days return and everything far a shadow your away, g laugh a little louder try avoid and when and the as to the sun I used jokes letters because tn your care I think nized her ean although she eon erent than the little embered. Her hai long curls down her back aid burning moving 9 don’t Bg a hurried aa LOST CAUSE But ne hi ae very well. As the crowd Temi — Opped to get a better look at him. oe es wearing levis and a navy te ae a. He had grown much taller os on longer than he used , a ad faded too, but she ne 4 go at her si cold wind hit Wendy as she of her High School gym after game. Through the moving of oo She wasn't sure a oi home up home but neither would . sabia of : 2 E a - - etball a se abe said, picking called to nt come out of his house. Sometimes € was out in his yard and Wend ta him from a window or from the oe . They both sat on opposite sides of older brother went out to the fields. Keith's youngest sister, Suzy, was playing While she sat with with her cousins. them, she kept watching the house across the street and hoping that Keith would come over. When he hadn't come by the time her parents returned, she thought he wouldn't, but as they were getting ready to leave he walked slowly across the street. He came halfway up the driveway, to stay in there all day,” he said, but he didn't mean it. For the rest of the afternoon, Wendy sat around the house and tried to find something to do. She turned on the TV but she didn't feel like watching it, so she turned it off and walked around. She found her favorite book. But after read- he Keith wasn't . house and watched the little kids, while her parents, her aunt and uncle, and her wants Suzy," would be the same Ime aaqj again, but she k oe impossible. Everything was ‘dif. now, and they were different now. ly said goodby to the others Heat inh 3 catch up with him as he walked across oe a aie slowly into his house ooking back, but from a wi he watched her car go down the hie hi til a oes out of sight. enay came back several time ee her family or to hae. Ins. Most of the time, wh come out?” “1 didn't want to," she lied, then turned time them. don’t back, started she As_ home. and went slowly across the street. As she left, Wendy hoped that the next “1 don't want to go out,”’ she told them. | and over Keith stopped her and asked, “Why didn't They went and told Keith what she had “Well, was standing. noe he said. “Hi,"" she she snapped back. ; As SO she said it, she was sorry. She didn't mean to sound rude, but she had waited 2 long for him to come over and he inally came when she was leaving, just to get his sister. nes ‘You leaving?’ he asked rsa “Well, I'll see you," he said “'Goodby,’’ she said as ie es down the ave art so himself. Finally Wendy's aunt came home. She asked Wendy to go over and get her Wendy cousins before she went home. walked across the street and told them say “Why don't you come over too,’ Janet suggested. “1! don't want to now," she said, “Maybe later.” After a They went outside to play. while they came back with some of the neighbor kids. ‘Keith wants you to come out,” they said. said, come he'd out, go to ed her cou- sins came in and asked if they could across the street and play. “'Yes,"’ ing a few pages, she got tired of it, so she turned on the radio and sat. Once in a while she went to the window and watched the kids playing outside. She really wanted to go out with them, but she kept telling herself that if Keith want- past. to. spring QTE shines showers. OVER through the clouds of you. Teresa Mester to