Read A Million Miles From Boston for Free Online Page B

polar bear, Poley, in her lap and tears in her eyes. I couldn’t stand that she was sad, so I sat next to her. Superior stayed close, but just out of Lauren’s reach.
    “She was trained to listen to one person,” I said. “I’m that person now.”
    “You’re like her mom,” Lauren said.
    I’d never thought of it like that. I pulled a dog treat from my pocket and handed it to Lauren. She put it in her palm and when Superior took it, she quickly petted her.
    She grinned and jumped up. “Let’s go see the neighbors’ new dock.”
    The air was cool and damp and the sky was gray. I turned the corner into the backyard and stared at a huge new dock at Ian’s house, the Debacle. It took up the entire waterfront with its wooden beams, shiny metal posts and boathouse.
    “Let’s see if the jellyfish came back, the ones that don’t sting.” Lauren ran to the water and waded in.
    I glanced back at the Debacle. Dozens of windows stretched across the house. Bushes and flowers lined the deck. Allison waved from a chair, then walked toward us.
    “Like the new dock?” She wore big dangling earrings and carried a book.
    “What was wrong with the old one?” I asked. Lauren walked up next to me.
    “Probably nothing. My dad’s a builder, so he builds things.
Big
, new things.”
    “What’s that?” Lauren pointed to Allison’s book.
    “Drawings.” She opened her notebook. Inside were pencil drawings of buildings, bridges and statues. Her lines were straight, the details sharp. On one building you could see every brick, every skinny layer of mortar. These drawings must have taken her hours.
    “They’re really good.” I pointed to a building. “Think your dad could build that?”
    She shrugged. “Yeah, right. He’s never sat still long enough to look at them.”
    “Oh.” I paused. “Did you copy them from a book?”
    “No. I made them up.”
    “Wow. I like to draw, too.”
    She raised her eyebrows. “Another thing we have in common.”
    I grinned, then shook my head. “Oh, no, I’m not near as good as you.”
    “Hello, there!” Mrs. Richards called as she walked over. Her long hair was in a ponytail and she wore a short pink skirt and sandals with sparkles.
    “Hi!”
    She smiled at me, then turned to Allison. “Did you ask Lucy about the trash?”
    Allison looked at me. “Last night we put the trash in the garbage can and this morning it was all over the yard.
I
had to pick it up.”
    “Oh, raccoons probably got into it. You should either keep your trash inside your garage with the door closed or tie it in bags and put it on top of your car. Then you can take it to the Dumpsters. Trash pickup is every Tuesday.”
    “Aha!” Mrs. Richards nodded. “I kept seeing trash bags on cars.”
    Allison snorted. “You put
trash
on your car? What are they, super raccoons?”
    “They’re nocturnal,” Mrs. Richards said.
    Allison rolled her eyes. “I know they’re nocturnal.”
    “What’s nocturnal?” Lauren asked.
    “It means they sleep during the day and come out at night,” Allison said. “And they’re omnivorous, so they eat plants, animals, anything. Their scientific name is
Procyon lotor
. Native Americans called them
aroughcun
, which translates, ‘he who scratches with his hands.’ ”
    Wow! She was an encyclopedia.
    “You sure know a lot about raccoons,” Lauren said.
    “Just one of those stupid things you learn in school.”
    “Do you have a photographic memory?” I asked.
    “Something like that,” Allison said. Mrs. Richards sighed. Allison grinned at me.
    “Well, I’d love to hear more pointers, Lucy.” Mrs. Richards turned for her house. “How about stopping by soon for a glass of iced tea?”
    “Okay.” My smile got bigger and bigger as I watched her go into the house.
    When I turned back, Allison was staring at me. “My mom said you’re in class with Ian. Poor you.”
    I hesitated.
    “Don’t tell me he has you fooled, too. Mr. Personality! I thought at