The Summer of Riley by Eve Bunting

Author:Eve Bunting
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Divorce & Separation, Animals, Divorce, Juvenile Fiction, Oregon, Fiction, Family & Relationships, Pets, Concepts, Seasons, Dogs
ISBN: 9780064409278
Publisher: HarperTrophy
Published: 2009-07-10T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

The next morning we taped a flyer on every lamppost and tree along Main Street. The rain had stopped, the sun was out, and the big yellow notices were eye-popping all right. “Better even than having them in windows,” Grace said admiringly. “No glass to get in the way.”

We stood on opposite sidewalks, giving out flyers to anyone who passed by who would take one. Some did. Some didn’t. Some said, “Good luck!” or “I was sorry about your dog.” But others didn’t look at us, staring straight ahead as if we were invisible. Others muttered stuff like, “A dog that chases another animal gets no sympathy from me,” or worst of all, “Give it up, kid. You’re wasting your time. The dog’s a goner.”

“No,” I said. “No.”

Some looked so angry it made my heart beat fast, and sometimes they’d take a flyer and crumple it up and toss it into the gutter. When they did, I’d pick it up, and if it wasn’t too creased, I’d use it again. If it was, I’d stick it in my backpack to take home. What if I was the one accused of littering?

But there were nice passersby, too. A woman who’d been at the ATM gave me a twenty-dollar bill. “Here, son,” she said. “This will help with expenses.”

“Thanks,” I told her, and I could have thrown my arms around her and hugged her, except that might have embarrassed her to death. She was wearing a big hat and actually she reminded me of Peachie.

A little kid held up his puppy to me. “His name is Spot. You can pet him if you like,” he said.

I kissed the top of the puppy’s head and it had a Riley dog smell.

And then I heard Grace shout, “Yo, William!” from the other side of the street, and I looked where she was pointing. There were Ellis Porter and Duane Smith, farther up Main, giving out flyers that definitely weren’t ours. Theirs was an ugly shade of pink, but eye-popping too. I knew the picture of the Sultan was on theirs. And what else?

I didn’t have to wait long to find out. Jim Deppe, who’s in my grade, came zipping along on his bike and handed me one. “Take a gander,” he said, and rode off.

There, on that sick-making pink paper, was a picture of the Sultan of Kaboor, old and weary-looking, standing by Peachie’s fence. His head drooped. There was a bandage on one leg. Underneath the picture, the flyer said:

THIS HORSE WAS CHASED ALMOST TO DEATH

BY A VICIOUS, UNLEASHED DOG, NAME OF RILEY.

UPHOLD THE DEATH PENALTY FOR ALL DOGS

THAT CHASE OUR LIVESTOCK. CALL 555-6432

AND DEMAND THAT THE LAW IS OBEYED.

SIGN OUR PETITION.

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