nice way of repaying Mom for the dinner invitation. Even though sheâd tried to refuse the offer, I knew she was tired from cooking all day long. It was great for her to be able to sit down in the living room and relax instead of having to do the big clean-up. And of course, I would have been helping her, so it was beneficial to me too.
It was kind of sad though, watching Greg and his dad doing the dishes. Mr. Taylor washed and Greg dried, and I couldnât help thinking about how theymust do this together at home all the time because there was no Mrs. Taylor anymore. It looked wrong somehow, because she was missing from the picture. I wondered what she had looked like and how she had fit with the two of them.
Just as we were finishing up, Betts arrived to tell me about some of the gifts sheâd received. I had a bad moment when she was introduced to Gregâs dad and she got an excited look on her face. I thought for sure that she was going to start asking him embarrassing questions. It reminded me of how Iâd been planning to watch him for signs that he might be the Little River fire starter, which by then struck me as ridiculous. There was no way a nice man like Mr. Taylor was involved in something like that.
I never found out whether or not Betts might have gotten around to prying because Greg suggested that the three of us go outside and build a snow sculpture.
âItâs kind of dark out,â Betts pointed out. She didnât seem that enthusiastic, but I was glad for the idea. After being in the hot kitchen, the thought of fresh air was more than welcome.
âWeâll put on the porch light,â I said, hauling on my jacket and gloves. âItâll be fun.â
She shrugged and came along just as I knew she would. Betts is really a good sport, and even if she complains sometimes she always comes through.
We couldnât agree right away on what we were going to make so we just started making a big mound, building up a pile of snow in the middle of the yard. By the time we had enough to shape into a sculpture, weâd agreed on making a snow castle. It was just taking form when Betts tossed the first snowball and hit Greg on the arm.
âI can see that weâre going to need to build a dungeon in our castle for this miscreant,â he laughed, lobbing a snowball back at her.
âWhat did you call me?â she demanded, ducking and laughing.
âThou art a most sneaky and evil villain,â he said solemnly, gathering more snow into a ball.
Well, that was the end of our sculpture. Fluffy white orbs flew back and forth faster and faster until we were all out of breath and gasping with laughter. Our faces were red when we finally went back inside to warm ourselves. Gregâs mitts were covered in snow and I banged them over the kitchen sink to knock some of it off before hanging them up to dry.
âNeat mitts,â I commented. They were black with a red and purple design. He told me that it was an Aztec pattern and then added that his father had knitted them.
âYour dad knits!â Betts almost choked on the words.
âYeah, why not?â
âWell, guys donât knit.â
âAnd why is that?â
âKnitting is for women.â
âWomen have been fighting that very attitude for years. Do you think that men and women have to be restricted to certain roles?â
âThatâs not what she meant,â I said quickly. I could see Bettsâs face clouding over, and I knew she wasnât going to win an argument with Greg.
âDonât you think Betts should speak for herself?â
âCome on, donât make a big deal over something this small.â
âStereotyping isnât a small thing. Men and women need to accept each otherâs right to make choices based on individuality, with all gender bias aside. Until that happens weâre all affected by unfair restrictions and ideas.â
Well, by then
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