迪文小说

第5部分（第1页）

The　old　wooden　floor　creaked　as　I　steppedacross　the　threshold　of　this　aging　house。　There　was　a　cheap　mat　just　inside　the　door。　The　mat　was　there　to　hide　the　years　of　wear　from　countless　footsteps　that　the　floor　had　supported。　Although　clean；　it　needed　to　be　replaced。

I　felt　claustrophobic　as　I　entered　the　narrow　living　room；　which　was　filled　with　old　musty　overstuffed　furniture　that　today　would　be　collectors　items。　Sitting　on　the　couch　were　two　women；　a　little　older　than　my　mom。　Across　from　the　women　sat　a　man　in　workmans　clothes。　He　wore　khaki　slacks　and　a　khaki　shirt；　neatly　pressed　but　without　starch；　and　polished　work　books。　He　was　about　10　years　older　than　my　dad；　Id　say　about　45　years　old。　They　smiled　as　Mike　and　I　walked　past　them；　heading　for　the　kitchen；　which　lead　to　the　porch　that　overlooked　the　back　yard。　I　smiled　back　shyly。

〃Who　are　those　people？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　they　work　for　my　dad。　The　older　man　runs　his　warehouses；　and　the　women　are　the　managers　of　the　restaurants。　And　you　saw　the　construction　supervisor；　who　is　working　on　a　road　project　about　50　miles　from　here。　His　other　supervisor；　who　is　building　a　track　of　houses；　had　already　left　before　you　got　here。〃

〃Does　this　go　on　all　the　time？〃　I　asked。

〃Not　always；　but　quite　often；〃　said　Mike；　smiling　as　he　pulled　up　a　chair　to　sit　down　next　to　me。

〃I　asked　him　if　he　would　teach　us　to　make　money；〃　Mike　said。

〃Oh；　and　what　did　he　say　to　that？〃　I　asked　with　cautious　curiosity。

〃Well；　he　had　a　funny　look　on　his　face　at　first；　and　then　he　said　he　would　make　us　an　offer。〃

〃Oh；〃　I　said；　rocking　my　chair　back　against　the　wall；　I　sat　there

perched　on　two　rear　legs　of　the　chair。

Mike　did　the　same　thing。

〃Do　you　know　what　the　offer　is？〃　I　asked。

〃No；　but　well　soon　find　out。〃

Suddenly；　Mikes　dad　burst　through　the　rickety　screen　door　and　onto　the　porch。　Mike　and　I　jumped　to　our　feet；　not　out　of　respect　but　because　we　were　startled。

〃Ready　boys？〃　Mikes　dad　asked　as　he　pulled　up　a　chair　to　sit　down

with　us。

We　nodded　our　heads　as　we　pulled　our　chairs　away　from　the　wall　to　sit　in　front　of　him。

He　was　a　big　man；　about　6　feet　tall　and　200　pounds。　My　dad　was　taller；　about　the　same　weight；　and　five　years　older　than　Mikes　dad。　They　sort　of　looked　alike；　though　not　of　the　same　ethnic　makeup。　Maybe　their　energy　was　similar。

〃Mike　says　you　want　to　learn　to　make　money？　Is　that　correct；　Robert？〃

I　nodded　my　head　quickly；　but　with　a　little　intimidation。　He　had　a　lot　of　power　behind　his　words　and　smile。

〃OK；　heres　my　offer。　Ill　teach　you；　but　I　wont　do　it　classroom…style。　You　work　for　me；　Ill　teach　you。　You　dont　work　for　me；　I　wont　teach　you。　I　can　teach　you　faster　if　you　work；　and　Im　wasting　my　time　if　you　just　want　to　sit　and　listen；　like　you　do　in　school。　Thats　my　offer。　Take　it　or　leave　it。〃

〃Ah。。。　may　I　ask　a　question　first？〃　I　asked。

〃No。　Take　it　or　leave　it。　Ive　got　too　much　work　to　do　to　waste　my　time。　If　you　cant　make　up　you　mind　decisively；　then　youll　never　learn　to　make　money　anyway。　Opportunities　e　and　go。　Being　able　to　know　when　to　make　quick　decisions　is　an　important　skill。　You　have　an　opportunity　that　you　asked　for。　School　is　beginning　or　its　over　in　ten　seconds；〃　Mikes　dad　said　with　a　teasing　smile。

〃Take　it；〃　I　said。　　‘

〃Take　it；〃　said　Mike。

〃Good；〃　said　Mikes　dad。　〃Mrs。　Martin　will　be　by　in　ten　minutes。　After　Im　through　with　her；　you　ride　with　her　to　my　superette　and　you　can　begin　working。　Ill　pay　you　10　cents　an　hour　and　you　will　work　for　three　hours　every　Saturday。〃

〃But　I　have　a　softball　game　today；〃　I　said。

Mikes　dad　lowered　his　voice　to　a　stern　tone。　〃Take　it　or　leave　it；〃　he

〃Ill　take　it；〃　I　replied；　choosing　to　work　and　learn　instead　of　playing　softball。

30　Cents　Later

By　9　a。m。　on　a　beautiful　Saturday　morning；　Mike　and　I　were　working　for　Mrs。　Martin。　She　was　a　kind　and　patient　woman。　She　always　said　that　Mike　and　I　reminded　her　of　her　two　sons　who　were　grown　and　gone。　Although　kind；　she　believed　in　hard　work　and　she　kept　us　working。　She　was　a　task　master。　We　spent　three　hours　taking　canned　goods　off　the　shelves　and；　with　a　feather　duster；　brushing　each　can　to　get　the　dust　off；　and　then　re…stacking　them　neatly。　It　was　excruciatingly　boring　work。

Mikes　dad；　whom　I　call　my　rich　dad；　owned　nine　of　these　little　superettes　with　large　parking　lots。　They　were　the　early　version　of　the　7…11　convenience　stores。　Little　neighborhood　grocery　stores　where　people　bought　items　such　as　milk；　bread；　butter　and　cigarettes。　The　problem　was；　this　was　Hawaii　before　air　conditioning；　and　the　stores　could　not　close　its　doors　because　of　the　heat。　On　two　sides　of　the　store；　the　doors　had　to　be　wide　open　to　the　road　and　parking　lot。　Every　time　a　car　drove　by　or　pulled　into　the　parking　lot；　dust　would　swirl　and　settle　in　the　store。

Hence；　we　had　a　job　for　as　long　as　there　was　no　air　conditioning。

For　three　weeks；　Mike　and　I　reported　to　Mrs。　Martin　and　worked　our　three　hours。　By　noon；　our　work　was　over；　and　she　dropped　three　little　dimes　in　each　of　our　hands。　Now；　even　at　the　age　of　9　in　the　mid…1950s；　30　cents　was　not　too　exciting。　ic　books　cost　10　cents　back　then；　so　I　usually　spent　my　money　on　ic　books　and　went　home。

By　Wednesday　of　the　fourth　week；　I　was　ready　to　quit。　I　had　agreed　to　work　only　because　I　wanted　to　learn　to　make　money　from　Mikes　dad；　and　now　I　was　a　slave　for　10　cents　an　hour。　On　top　of　that；　I　had　not　seen　Mikes　dad　since　that　first　Saturday。

〃Im　quitting；〃　I　told　Mike　at　lunchtime。　The　school　lunch　was　miserable。　School　was　boring；　and　now　I　did　not　even　have　my　Saturdays　to　look　forward　to。　But　it　was　the　30　cents　that　really　got　to　me。

This　time　Mike　smiled。