Page 10 (1/2)

Trey’s desire to take pictures for a living was one of the reement about--we both felt it was a bad idea As the son and daughter of working-class people, we had trouble with our child pursuing a creative degree Not because ere dismissive of art, but because ere distrustful of debt We knew the true price of owing uy on the corner or Uncle Sa Trey would co hiraphy would be a really nice hobby

"So, basically you’re saying only rich people’s kids should get degrees in creative fields," he’d huffed in response "That’s so elitist And you’re a hypocrite You use your creativity to "

"I minored in business My job reliesMaybe if you ? Or, international business?"

"Could you seeat the head of a table in soht I could But then I could also see hiha car dealership, or busy placating bridezillas at weekend weddings It was a lifestyle that ended up producing more anxiety than artistic satisfaction

When Jesse and I talked about it, late at night, I’d conceded that Trey had uns if ere going to put ourselves in financial peril to send him to the university of his choice Stability was the naave happiness a pedestal to stand on Jesse agreed Trey would co Trey twitch with the need to leave, I realized thatand optian after quickly gathering , "if you think you can do so to stand in your way"

"You’re not?" He was always skeptical ofive e clothes"

"Colin’s already on his way," Trey said, sot to his feet "I’ll text you later, okay?"

"Okay," I said, comforted only that he still needed my consent, even if it was perfunctory

Later, when I was alone, I sat staring into the patch of dirt in arden spade and did the only thing that

CHAPTER 6

Excerpt from Petra Polly: Chapter 2--On Collaboration

Not only is there not an I in ‘teamwork,’ there isn’t a U either

Expect all of your eether See questions How often do you allow office doors to res because of perceived busyness? Allow conversations to be held entirely electronically?

The coanisanization When one cell goes rogue or isolates or anization becomes ill, sometimes perilously so The prescription is siether whenever possible, and encourage real-time, in-person conversations There is a T in ‘tea to the bathrooether, that’s where I draw the line" Jackie spoke into my ear so the others wouldn’t hear her e-sta Petra’s latest words of wisdom The farmers’ market had returned, so outdoor real estate was at a premiuet outside Lukas deether for the foreseeable future; however, he was conspicuously absent, spending his lunch hour at thethe na it with the single-letter designation I would have paid a fortune to see the look on our village clerk’s face Mrs Cruikshank was ninety and had known Big Frank since he was born

Glynnis was the only one s a blanket It was the serape variety, the kind you get at tourist traps and (once upon a time) Dead shows We were huddled on it, Glynnis, Rhiannon, Jackie, and me, our lunches held precariously on our laps Seth and Byron sat with their backs against the building, long legs stretched in front of theuys are such losers," Rhiannon announced

"Two of us are going to be losers," Byron said "By the end of the su, so even the ed a reaction Glynnis smiled at him She had a crush

"What I don’t understand," I said, "is hoe’re supposed to work as one body and still engage in healthy competition"