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"And on your head," interrupted Gretchen

"Don't be silly Of course I took it off my head when I saw the htest idea what I was talking about, so I thought I would just go into the house pleasantly without any further conversation And I said, 'Have a nice day' to the milkman, and started to open the back door, but I had lockedthe bell quite a while before Alden woke up and came down, and in the o or stay, so he stayed, and when Alden appeared at the door, there I was inthere looking stricken, as if he had walked into a lunatic asylu say?" asked Becky

"He just stood there for a o to the bathroohter

"Then later," she said, "I realized that I haven't any idea how to ood idea, anymore So I put all the dandelions in the sink, and two bu me on the arm, which made me feel that the dandelions are decidedly hostile to the whole thing as well, and now--" she got up, went to the sink, and pressed a switch--"I ae disposal"

"'Sic transit gloria'" Gretchen laughed

"What does that loriously, fro"

"Nat," said Becky seriously, when they were in Natalie's bedroom later, "how can you not be satisfied with yourto do with that at all"

7

GRADUATION DAY was like every other Graduation Day She had attended them for several years, had watched her friends stand there on the stage in their caps and gowns, the girls holding red roses, so the special stoles that indicated particular honors The school band, heavy on clarinets, playing the school song; the tears and s of tassels from one side to the other The proud parents with their flashcubes popping The speeches: they were the saraduation, because it was her father carefully focusing his caet what she knew from experience would be blurred snapshots of decapitated people, Natalie listened to the nervous voices of the three students chosen to speak, and tried to attach so in their words to her own life

Gretchen was one of the speakers Her high grades had consistently led the class for years, and she had won the scholarships that would take her to Wellesley to study political science Natalie grinned when Gretchen rose to speak, knowing that under the heavy graduation gown, her friend earing patched and faded denim shorts It was a hot day; summer had really coan, "lanced at each other, and sraduation speeches had started, "Co"?

Natalie found her family in the crowd Her father was sole his best suit, and for once the ends of his stethoscope were not protruding from his breast pocket Nancy was beside him, her hair curlier than usual from the hu here and there as she searched in the audience for her friends Nancy wasn't listening, Natalie knew It didn't raduates, soain: "Co" Her , but she atching Natalie, not Gretchen Nat caught her eye and they winked at each other and grinned

The Branford High School gy basketball season, there was usually a huge, clun that said "Be an Athletic Supporter" taped to the wall behind the far basket That was gone For the senior proht, crepe-paper strea frohts, and tables covered with pastel cloths had been arranged around the sides of the rooone, too

So it was just a gyraduation

"But there are beginnings, perhaps," Gretchen was saying slowly, "that shouldn't be made at all" Natalie watched her and listened ht we be e?

"We have become complacent here, as seniors We've been the school leaders--the guys who know it all, have done it all We're old enough now to be on our own Soe, soraduates all grinned at Marcia Pickering, who blushed and polished her tiny diaer--"and to be honest, we, all of us, think we're pretty hot stuff right now

"But we're very young We shouldn't forget that We shouldn't forget that there are doors not ready to be opened That if we choose certain paths we may be unhappily surprised by where they lead And we shouldn't forget that those who have helped and advised us till now--our parents, teachers, and others--are still here to give help, and advice, and, e need it, sy

"Most of you ree of the forest and was frightened of the big, open ers there

"We will all have to go into the dangerous and unknown places that await us But we should be careful not to rush, not tountil we are prepared to face everything it leads to

"If we do, each Co to our lives

"Thank you"

Gretchen sat down, erateful to be finished Natalie looked over at her, caught her eye, sn

Then the speeches were ended, the diplomas awarded, the tassels flipped, the school band prodded by the raduates moved in double ron the aisle and out of the wide door at the entrance to the gyave her rose to Nancy, hugged her parents, and threw a kiss across the front lawn to Paul, as standing sheepishly in front of his father's Instaed Nancy

"Oh, wait, I want to see all o home There are presents," said Nancy