by Ryan Brenner

Created on: April 19, 2010

Synopsis:  This is an excerpt from a novel for young readers entitled Yard Work.  Cal and his friend Amy have just been caught looking at a broken window in Izzy Maclaren’s driveway.  The window was broken by a the leader of a gang of bullies named Cliff Diller.  Cal saw him break it, but now seeing them in the driveway upon arriving home from the store Mrs. Maclaren is convinced Cal is the culprit.

Chapter 3

We tried to explain, but Izzy Maclaren was already heading for the porch.  The screen door slammed you could hear her through the open window calling the police.

“Yes, I got them right here,” she said into the phone.  “Okay, well hurry,” She hung up the phone and was on the back porch again in seconds.

“Mrs. Maclaren you don’t underst...“ I started to say as she returned to the porch.

“It was you.  You broke the window.  What will your father say?  And who are you?”  She asked looking toward Amy.

“A-Amy, mam,” said Amy.

Izzy gave her a disapproving look over, and turned back to me, apparently she had decided that I was the main culprit.

A few moments later Officer Tom Blanson arrived.

“Cal, what are you doing?” He asked, surprised to see me standing in the driveway.  He turned to Maclaren, “Ms. Maclaren, there must be a mistake.  This is Darrel Parker’s boy.”

“Yes, I know,” she rasped.  “But, sometimes there are bad apples.  Why, it’s good I came home when I did they probably were going to do it again.  I want them punished, punished to the full extent of the law.  I want retri-retri-retri.”  She was getting so excited her voice sounded like an old lawn mower trying to start.

“Retribution?” Officer Blanson interjected. 

“What are you going to do?”  Izzy asked.

“Mr. Blanson we didn’t do this.”  I pleaded to the Officer.

“Yes, yes, they did.  Why would they come back?  Guilty conscience, perhaps?”

“Ms. Maclaren did you actually see either Cal or Amy throw the rock?”  Officer Blanson asked.

This made her pause, if only for a second.

“Well, no, but what was he doing in my driveway?”

“It’s a fair question Cal.”  Officer Blanson looked back at me.

“I….I was just….”  I stopped; actually

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