A Walk in the Park. Grace Casselman

her diary and shoved it under her pillow. She lay on her back, cradling her head in her palms, and stared at the ceiling for a while.

      There was a tap at the door, and her father poked his head in the room. “Hey Terra. How’s it going?”

      “Okay.”

      “Did you have a good day at school?”

      Should she answer honestly? Why not? “Well, it wasn’t so great. We had to dissect rats in school, and one boy threw up.”

      Her dad burst out laughing. “Really? So which was worse?”

      Terra smiled too, reluctantly. “I dunno. They were both pretty gross. And it’s not fair. Lisa told me that at our school in Ottawa, they’re growing bean sprouts. Bean sprouts, Dad—and I have to cut up rats!”

      “Some people might think you’re getting the more exciting opportunity.”

      “Yeah, who? Some sort of deviant, maybe.”

      Her father chuckled. “No, really, Terra. Say you want to be a doctor. It would be important for you to understand how our bodies work.”

      “Dad! We dissected rats, not people!”

      “I know . . . but I guess you’d have to start somewhere, right?”

      Terra sighed. “I don’t want to be a doctor, anyway. This other girl, Kaitlin, says she might want to be a doctor.”

      “Hmm. So what do you want to be?”

      “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t have to decide yet, do I?”

      Her dad shook his head. “Not at all, I just thought you might have some aspirations to share.”

      Terra squinted at him. “Well, maybe a psychologist.”

      “Oh?”

      “Yeah. I want to learn why people act the way they do.”

      Her dad laughed. “Yeah, that would be useful. I bet your mom wishes she’d studied psychology. She’s always trying to figure me out!

      “By the way, after Fred finishes with the living room renovations and the changes to Mom’s office, and maybe some work in the kitchen, he’s going to paint the rest of house.”

      Terra rolled her eyes.

      “So, I was thinking you might like to pick the colour for your room.”