Right after I showed him where to put the wok, of course.
The tips of Kegan's ears got red. "I try," he said. "I know some people think it's corny—"
"No, not at all! I mean, think of what the world would be like without people like you. Our lakes and rivers are cleaner than they used to be. And there isn't as much litter along the sides of the roads, and—"
"There's still such a long way to go." Disappointed, he shook his head. "And still so much work to do. Sure, there are lakes and rivers that have made a comeback. But there are plenty more that still won't support life, thanks to the chemicals and other pollutants we pour into them. We do things like say we're protecting whole species of birds, but at the same time, we chop down the forests that are their habitats. It's crazy, Annie, but I'm glad you're at least thinking about it. That's where it all starts, you know. With people thinking about the problem. As soon as they do, they see that we're right. The only way to see a difference is to make a difference."
It sounded like one of the mottos Eve had learned from her sisters at WOW, but I didn't hold that against Kegan. He was an intelligent advocate. I admired that, and I told him so.
Color raced up his neck and into his cheeks. "I'm no hero," he said, and even though I hadn't used that word, I guess that's how I made it sound. "I actually came to appreciate the problem only a short time ago. It was my grandpa Holtz, you see." Kegan looked down at the floor, and for a couple minutes, he didn't say anything at all. When he looked back my way, his eyes shone with tears.
"For forty years, Grandpa worked at a chemical company
in a little place called Crayswing, Pennsylvania. His plant made pesticides. I'm not exactly sure what he did, but he wasn't an executive or anything. He worked in the factory. Of course, back when he got the job, they said they didn't suspect that the stuff those guys were breathing in every day was slowly killing them."
"You mean . . ." I had to clear away the lump in my throat before I continued. "What happened to him?"
Kegan chewed his lower lip. He blinked rapidly before he found his voice. "He died a few years ago. Liver cancer. As it turns out, a lot of the other guys who worked at the factory died of it, too. That's what really opened my eyes. It changed my life. So I came here and got the job with Balanced Planet. I have to work to make a difference, Annie. I have to do it for Grandpa Holtz."
I wasn't sure what I could say to make Kegan feel better, so maybe it's a good thing that Margaret Whitemore trundled into the kitchen with Agatha and a couple other students close behind.
I quickly waved to them all, then turned my back so they couldn't see that I had tears on my cheeks.
The crying . . . well, for once, I couldn't blame it on the cooking.
Five
O
Q I WAS DIPPING CHICKEN WINGS IN HOT SAUCE WHEN
Brad sauntered into the kitchen. We were just about to start class, and I didn't want to upset the applecart, but I couldn't help myself. After the tiff I'd seen outside between Brad and Valerie, it was only natural to be curious. Of course, I couldn't let him know that, so I stifled my curiosity and tried to sound concerned.
"Are you OK?"
Brad was already past me and on his way to the table where he and Agatha would be in charge of the night's flowers and plate presentations. When he realized I was talking to him, he stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Me? OK? Why wouldn't I be?"
I shrugged. I was wearing latex gloves, and hot sauce dripped off my fingers. "I just thought . . . You know . . . after what happened outside . . ."
As if it would bring his thoughts into line, Brad looked at the kitchen door and out to the front of Bellywasher's. "Outside? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you do." I'd already stepped toward him when I realized I was
The tips of Kegan's ears got red. "I try," he said. "I know some people think it's corny—"
"No, not at all! I mean, think of what the world would be like without people like you. Our lakes and rivers are cleaner than they used to be. And there isn't as much litter along the sides of the roads, and—"
"There's still such a long way to go." Disappointed, he shook his head. "And still so much work to do. Sure, there are lakes and rivers that have made a comeback. But there are plenty more that still won't support life, thanks to the chemicals and other pollutants we pour into them. We do things like say we're protecting whole species of birds, but at the same time, we chop down the forests that are their habitats. It's crazy, Annie, but I'm glad you're at least thinking about it. That's where it all starts, you know. With people thinking about the problem. As soon as they do, they see that we're right. The only way to see a difference is to make a difference."
It sounded like one of the mottos Eve had learned from her sisters at WOW, but I didn't hold that against Kegan. He was an intelligent advocate. I admired that, and I told him so.
Color raced up his neck and into his cheeks. "I'm no hero," he said, and even though I hadn't used that word, I guess that's how I made it sound. "I actually came to appreciate the problem only a short time ago. It was my grandpa Holtz, you see." Kegan looked down at the floor, and for a couple minutes, he didn't say anything at all. When he looked back my way, his eyes shone with tears.
"For forty years, Grandpa worked at a chemical company
in a little place called Crayswing, Pennsylvania. His plant made pesticides. I'm not exactly sure what he did, but he wasn't an executive or anything. He worked in the factory. Of course, back when he got the job, they said they didn't suspect that the stuff those guys were breathing in every day was slowly killing them."
"You mean . . ." I had to clear away the lump in my throat before I continued. "What happened to him?"
Kegan chewed his lower lip. He blinked rapidly before he found his voice. "He died a few years ago. Liver cancer. As it turns out, a lot of the other guys who worked at the factory died of it, too. That's what really opened my eyes. It changed my life. So I came here and got the job with Balanced Planet. I have to work to make a difference, Annie. I have to do it for Grandpa Holtz."
I wasn't sure what I could say to make Kegan feel better, so maybe it's a good thing that Margaret Whitemore trundled into the kitchen with Agatha and a couple other students close behind.
I quickly waved to them all, then turned my back so they couldn't see that I had tears on my cheeks.
The crying . . . well, for once, I couldn't blame it on the cooking.
Five
O
Q I WAS DIPPING CHICKEN WINGS IN HOT SAUCE WHEN
Brad sauntered into the kitchen. We were just about to start class, and I didn't want to upset the applecart, but I couldn't help myself. After the tiff I'd seen outside between Brad and Valerie, it was only natural to be curious. Of course, I couldn't let him know that, so I stifled my curiosity and tried to sound concerned.
"Are you OK?"
Brad was already past me and on his way to the table where he and Agatha would be in charge of the night's flowers and plate presentations. When he realized I was talking to him, he stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Me? OK? Why wouldn't I be?"
I shrugged. I was wearing latex gloves, and hot sauce dripped off my fingers. "I just thought . . . You know . . . after what happened outside . . ."
As if it would bring his thoughts into line, Brad looked at the kitchen door and out to the front of Bellywasher's. "Outside? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you do." I'd already stepped toward him when I realized I was
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