Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson

Author:Jacqueline Woodson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US

NINE

“LOOK HERE, TY‘REE,” DADDY SAID. HE HELD the newspaper out so Ty’ree could get a look at the words there. “Says maybe the Knicks are gonna win this year. That’ll be something new, huh?”

Ty‘ree climbed over the park bench, then climbed back to the side Daddy was on. He was ten, in fourth grade, and probably the best climber in the whole school. He wanted Daddy to see him, to watch him hang off the side of the bench like a monkey. He climbed up to the back and walked along the edge of it like it was a high wire. When he stepped over Daddy’s head, Daddy glanced up and smiled. It was Sunday, cold enough to see your breath. They always came to Central Park on Sundays. Mama was at home taking care of Charlie and getting ready for the new baby that was coming. Ty’ree wanted a sister, ‘cause he’d already gotten a brother and that wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Daddy’d said he wanted another boy ’cause you couldn’t have too many boys. When he said this, Mama laughed and swatted him with whatever was close by. Mama said she got down on her knees and prayed for a girl some nights ‘cause she didn’t know what she’d do if another little man showed up in her house. When they were laughing and teasing about the baby, Ty’ree didn’t care if it ever came, just so long as his mama and daddy could keep on laughing and having a good time. He figured his mama was probably about the prettiest woman in Manhattan. People said he looked just like her but he didn’t see himself as pretty. He hoped his new baby sister would be pretty like Mama.

“Look, Daddy,” Ty’ree said. He was a few feet away from his father now, high up in a leafless oak tree. Seemed he could look out and see the whole park from where he sat. Maybe if he went up higher, he could see the whole world.

“You sure can climb,” Daddy said, then went back to reading the paper.

It was cold out, and the air seemed to lift up under the heavy coat Ty’ree was wearing. He loved being cold. It made him feel electrified. He loved feeling electrified. He sat down on a branch and let his feet dangle over the edge. His sneakers were white and new, and he promised himself he’d never get them dirty.

There were only a few other people in the park. Way down, there was a man playing with two little kids, running in circles and making them chase him. The kids were squealing and grabbing at his coat. He kept dodging them. There was a woman in a pink running outfit jogging around the lake. She had a big dog with her, and the dog was running right beside her. Ty’ree wished he could get a dog. Maybe a mastiff. He’d seen one once. That was probably the biggest dog in the world.

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