第9章一双新鞋APairofNewShoes
佚名Anonymous
“Don'tyoujustlovemynewshoes?”
Rebecca'seyesshiassheplacesapairofeleganthigh-heeledshoesinmylap。Theshoesareimpetheirsimplidnothingbutmyoldknobbyhandsmartheirsleeklines。
“Sueleather!Thesearelovely。”
“Ay-fivedollars!”
“Heavens!Imustbegettihatseemsagreatdealofmoneyforapairofshoes。”
“Oh，Nana，Ikneos;dsaythat。”
Rebecca'slustrsinasoftcurlassheleansforwardtotouchmycheekwithakiss。Herperfumeembodiestheessenceandofyouth。Attwenty-three，sheisthebabyofthefamily。
“Noos;tfallasleep，Nana。Yourparty'sabouttobegin，”shewhispers，andslipsoutoftheroom。
&wouldbesoeasytoletmywrinkledeyelidsdroopandtofallasleeplikeafatoldthesun。Ibliimestokeepawakeandturhediningroomwhereasilverbowlofyellracesthetableinhonorofmyeighty-sixthbirthday。ThelinenhasbeenlaidandsoonIshallfeelitsessbehmyfiheheavysilverwareisinplaentIwonderifmyweak，oldhandswillhahclattersoea。Thefsoundofvoiddiionslullsmeaocaressthesmooth，coolleatherofRebecca'snewshoes，whimylap。Witheachtouch，Irelax，Iletgo。Witheaemberanotherpairofshoessolongago。WasIonlythirty-nine?Impossible!IalmosthearthevoicethateasIstoodisgafternoonilesssummerof1935。
“Missus，say，Missus!”
ThehuskyvoicestartledmeandIturnedquickly。Themanatthefencewasyoung，hardlytwenty，withblondhairtousledlikealittleboy's。Hisclothesweredustyandrumpled，andIeyedhimwarily。Ioftensawragged，tired，solitarymenpassbythehousefromtherailyardshefreights，menmovingaboutthetry，lookingforwork。MyJackwasouttheresomewhere，too。
“Missus，couldIpleasehaveadrinkof>
&heyard。”Idpoiheehathudoortap。Ihadjustfilledthreepailsardenaowarmihetapstilldripped。
Hedragulps，sly，andtheeronhisfahishandsoverhisdustyhairandalongthebackofhisfeelsgood，”hesaid，bywayofthanks，andstoodthere，self-sdawkward，asuddentensenesswheicedthepailssittinginthesun。
“HaveyouanyworkIdoforyou?Weedandwateryarden?”
Somegardeomatoplantsstruggledtroundthatwashardahesparsepatwaswork?Thehouserequiredacoatofpaint，butpaintoney，andIhadnoenseoflookingaround，befmyhead。
Whenhedroppedtothegrassandplacedhisheadonfoldedarms，Ifelthistirednessanddespair。Asuddeatmythroat。Heyson，Ithought。HelooksasyoungasAliewhemustbehungry。WhatcouldIgivehim?Theiceboxheldsolittle:somemilk，aknobofbutter，andafewslicesofbolognaforAice'ssupper。
&ofthesun。Sitontheporch，”Isaid，surprisedatthefranknessofmyand。“I'llgetyousomethiionshadawayofgettihesedifficultdaysandIp;apos;ttrustmiasIp;apos;tbeartheshame-facedlookofgratitudeinhiseyes。AsIclimbedthestepstothehouse，Ibegryatmyself，atmyhelplessmyemptycupboards，attheuingdrought，atthewholedamnedsufferingtry。
Islicedaloafofbreadwithviciousswipesoftheknife，jerkedopentheiilk，twistedthelidoffajarofhome-madejam，asthoughmyfreionswouldwipeoutthefeelingofguiltathimsolittle。Whehefoodtotheporch，Isawthebarden，rinsinghisshirtihepails。Ibe，lefthimmysty，aurnedindoors。
&hedrawnblinds，thehousehadtrappedtheheatandhadbeeanairlessboxofyellowlight。Myfloweredprintdresseieachpatch，thefadeddaisiesdaredtobloom。Idroppedintoanarmdswungmyswolleuponahassock。
&hesharpslapofthesdoorawakenedme，I>
“Mama，whereareyou?”
Istruggledtomyfeetandfouitable，herheadandshouldersbowediion。
“Mama，AcmeStweek。”Sheraisedherheadaomyface。“Theemploymentirlswouldbehiredonlyiftheywereproperlydressed。”HerbrowationthatIuoodherstatement。“Thatmeansstodadetpairofshoes，Mama，andlookatme!”Shethrustoutherfeetiyrunningshoes。
Instinctively，IglaheoldfeltslippersIwore。TherewerehehousethateetAcme'sstandards，andtherewasobuyanewpair。Myheartachedwiththefollyofhavimyyouofindpedbehioforther>
“Honey，wehaveaorkonit。”Ikissedhersofthair，stillwarmfromthesuhingwilleour>
“That'swhatyoualwayssay，Mama。os;stheuseofhoping!”
Itos;ttillIbegantoprepareersupperthatIrememberedtheyoungman，aheporytray。HadIfoundhimsittingattheoldwickertable，asdejectedasAlice，IsupposeIwouldhavekissedthetopofhishead，thimonhisway。Isenthimasilentwish，iakean。
Allthatweekthesuoscord。Iwateredmygardeninthes，fulwilliogrowa。Thismritualofminebecamemymprayer。AsIstoopedinthegardenwithmypitifulcupsofrayedforJadAlidwork;IprayedforJack'ssafetyontheroad;Iprayedfortheforlorenland，andfortheyoungmanwhohadeandgoneandhadaskedforsolittle。
&erhisstopatmygate，Iwatered，asusual。Ahot，fitfulbreezeseornanddirtyneerssgacrosstheyardandintarappedinthebrahepapersflappedandrustledlikelargealienbirds。AsIcrossedtheyardtogatherthemup，aflashofwhiteinthemailboxcaughtmyeye。Jaediately，ahebox。
Theenvelopeborenostamp，noname，andedamessagepenascrapofbro>