第16章田间之旅FieldTrip（2）
Sheknele，moreaboutbaseballanditshistorythanmyfatherdidandwasalwaysreadytuethemeritsofPeeWeeReese（herfavainstChicoCarrasquel（miheoneMrs。Knappiwillalwaysremainengravedinmymemorydidschool，however。Ithappenedoedtryroadthatdivided-fieldsoernoodayofthat，myfirstfullfledgedschoolyear。Tocelebratethebeautifulweather，she’dtakenusorip，literally，throughthebrightyellowandgreenofdwheatstalksthatweretallerthanIwas（andthaoo）butstilltwoorthreemonthsshyoftheirharvest。
Wewandered，aslargegroupsofarewonttodo，oureyesgwithfasandbirdandleaf，everyoneofwhifailingly，Mrs。Kiorekkedaloraffickedgravelanddirtroadsthathadbeewideenoughfortractlecartotravel。TherewereheIlinoisprairielandwasflat，andwecouldseeonlytheblueofthehorizonandanohouserooftopbeyondthefieldsofgraieourlundwigaroadside，listenileofthewindthroughthegentlys，thecriesofthecrows，thechirrsofthecridbeetles。Afterlunchwewalkedmore。Now，though，thetriphadbeerepetitious—morefields，moreorebirddI，lyamongothers，wasbepatiehappeheabsolutemiddlehtoutofwhat，someyearslater，IwouldthinkofasTheTwilightZoephenKihesidele-laneroadhundredsofyardsfromanythingthatresembledcivilization，stoodaand。Nothingfancy，justawoodentersixhtfeetwide，fivefeethigh，twofeetdeep，withpolessuppawoodsheetthatservedassuhegrizzled，butsmiling，middle-agedmanwhostoodbehindit。
Thewords“IceCream—10Flavors”romihefront。ThemanandMrs。Kedeachotherasoldfrieousandsaideachofuscouldhaveanicee，anyflavorwewished，hertreat。Ourenthusiasmwas，naturally，boundless，aeoverwhethertosticktotheksofchocolateorvanillaorwhethertoexperimentwiththeexoticRockyRoadedamongus。Butweeachsettledohing，andthemanscestowaffledha。WesavoredahenheaskedMrs。Knapp，“Whatwouldyoulike?”Iliketothiwinkleinhiseyesashedidandthatwhatfollowedwasaritualbetweehoughthefewkidswho’dattendedMrs。Knapp’syearsbeforehadhestahoughtfully，
thensaid，“IthinkI’llhaveaeofeach。”Hedidn’tbataofeaflavors?Inoners。Knapp，thisassmallerthaofherstudents，wasgoien-scoopicee?Withthesameaplombshedisplayedinthe，shetookthemountainfromhimcarefullyaop。Shesaidsomethinglike“Mmm”andsmiled。
Ached，agogwithenvy，assheedeverysweetmound，mueupanddownfromvanillatostrawberrytobutterpeotlosingadroptotheheatoftheafternoon。Afteralkedbacktotheschool，perhapsjustamileorsoas，saidgood-byetoheraher，andwalkedhomeorwaitedforourparentstoe。Ofcourse，Itoldmyparentsabouttheevent，and，ofcourse，theysmiled。WedrovepasttheschoolthefolloasmerandMrs。Knappwasoffsomewhere，withMr。Knapp，Isupposed，eatingcopiousquantitiesoficecreamstasky-higheversawheragain，andthoughwelooked，Ihaticed，either。Now，fiftyyearslater，thoughthelittleelseIrecallaboutthatfirstschoolyearisonlydimlyremembered，Mrs。Knappaen-scoopiceainsoneofmyclearestories。Andoften，asIwatchsittisidemoderhirty-flavorices，Iwonderifperhapssheisg，awell-filledwafflehand，stillenjoyingitmightily。