第27章生日的承诺TheBirthdayPromise（2）
Thatbringstomiimemybelovedparakeet，BuckeyeBird，flewintpanwhileybreakfast。Iosedtolethimoutofhiscage，butIhad，andheburhoughtyou’dbesomadatme，butallyoukaboutwasgettientionforthatpoorbird。Thepharmacistthoughtyouwerenutswhebrandofantibioticcreamhewouldreendtorubo。
Speakingoffunnyanimalstories，doyouremypethamster，Browuthedryerhose?YoucalledSears，whereyou’dpurchasedtheclothesdryer，toaskhowwemightgethimoutofthepredit。Theytoldyoutoturnonthemadtheinitialthrustofairwouldpushhimthrough。Wedid，aheHamsterballflewthroughtheair。Daddycaughthiminhisbaseballglove。Itwashardtobelieve，buttheexplodioseeanotherday!
Whidsme。。。doyourecollectthetimeIblewupthestovewhiletryingtirlScoutgbadge?Ittookayearformyeyebrowsaogrowback。Yousleptwithmethatnightawasn’tmyfault。Still，itwasalongtimebeforeyouleftmealo。
&oldyouthisbefore，butaftermybakingfiasothersharedwithmeasecretaboutthepressurecivenyouasaweddinggift。Thefirsttimeyouusedit，you’dsetthetimerto“high”andyourdiofthekitlightfixture。GrandmatoldmeittookDaddyaweektoscrapeitofftheg。AtleastIonlylostfacialhair。
Yourmothermusticizedyou，becauseyouuredorpunishedmeforallthefoolishthingsIdidthroughtheyears。YousaidthateverythingerieasachildIhadaionaomyowndrummer。
IthinkI’mstillthatway，Mom。AndthatisexactlywhatItrytofowhenyhtersareyankingmy。They’redoiheymissyou。Bothofthemkeepaphotoofyouintheirlivingrorand，allfiveofthem，willtheir“NanaVirginia。”
Youroudofmygirls。YounevermissedaewhatagoodjobIwasdthemup。IwantyoutoknowhowmuchythatmeaI’thavedohoutyou。
Yhtersbothhaveyourtendernessay。Irememberthetimetheoldestoorunawayfromhome。Sheannouncedoverdishewasleavingtogolivewithhergras，sixblocksaway，becauseIwasmueaolockthekidinherroom。YousuggestedthatIletherworkitoutohatitwouldbealearningexperience。Shepackedsuchaheavysuitcase;shemadeitjustthreeblocksbeforeshecollapsedinfrontoftheneighborhoodbakery。Theownerdroveherhomeirudgaveheradozendoughilllooksatmeinafunny
Mom，doyouthinkthelessohatdayacklightwhentravelingadistawh。Shewastootiredtorecallwhyshewasangryandtoofullofidealdoughnutstocare。
&ly，yranddaughterwaslookingatallthepicturesyou’dtakewoofyouhadtraveledtottenhowmanytriesyou’dvisitedovertheyears。Idoremember，likeitwasyesterday，thecallgotsayingthatyouhadtocutshortyourHawaiianvisionbecauseyou’dbeenhurtbyasurfboardoWaikikiaystity。Yhterstayedupallnightaoyourhem，shemadealltheflightarraogetyouhome。Shewasonlythirteenyearsold。Youweresoproudofher。
Iknowthatfeelingtoday，Mom，whewohersmydaughtershavebee。
Asfrand，allIsayisthattheyhaveanoverabundaherthat，ettingold。Aphotooftheentirefamilysitsonmydresser。Everyonelookssohappy。Westillare。Ithoughtyou’dliketohearthat。It’sdifficultwithoutyou，butIthinkwe’refiingether。
It’sgettinglate，soI’mgoingtoputawayysforhisagaiyear，promise。
Happybirthday，Mom。