One
evening
my
mother
____________________
me
that
thereafter
I
would
have
to
do
the
shopping
for
food
.
She
____________________
me
to
the
corner
store
to
show
me
the
way
.
I
was
proud
;
I
____________________
like
a
grownup
.
The
next
afternoon
I
looped
the
basket
over
my
arm
and
____________________
down
the
pavement
toward
the
store
.
When
I
____________________
the
corner
,
a
gang
of
boys
____________________
me
,
____________________
me
down
,
____________________
the
basket
,
took
the
money
,
and
sent
me
running
home
in
panic
.
That
evening
I
____________________
my
mother
what
had
happened
,
but
she
____________________
no
comment
;
she
____________________
down
at
once
,
____________________
another
note
,
gave
me
more
money
,
and
____________________
me
out
to
the
grocery
again
.
I
crept
down
the
steps
and
____________________
the
same
gang
of
boys
playing
down
the
street
.
I
____________________
back
into
the
house
.
