第30章别在头发上的花儿（1）
TheFlowerinHerHair
贝蒂·Ｂ。杨斯BettieB。Youngs
Shealwaysworeaflowerinherhair。Always。MostlyIthoughtitle。Aflowerinmidday？Towork？Toprofessioings？Sheiringgraphierinthelarge，busyofficewhereIworked。Everydayshe’dsailintotheofficewithitsextra-moderncrispdécaflowerinhershthhair。Usuallycolor—atedwithherotherwisesuitableattire，itbloomed，asmallparasolofvividhelargebackdropofdarkbruhereweretimes，likeatthepanyChristmasparty，wherethefloweraddedatouchoffestivityandseemedappropriate。Buttowork，itjustseemedoutofplaore“professionally-miheofficewerepractidignantaboutit，andthoughtsomeootakeherasideandihe“rules”iakenseriously”inthebusinessworld。us，myselfihoughtitjustanoddquirk。
Tomyknowledgenooheyoungwomanastowhyafloaoworkeafact，weprobablywouldhavebeenmoreioquestionherhadsheshownupwithoutit。
Whichshedidoneday。Whenshedeliveredaprojeyoffice，Iqueried。“Ihereisnoflowerinyourhairtoday，”Isaidcasually，“I’msousedtoseeihatitalmostseemsasifsomethingismissing。”
“Oh，yes，”sherepliedquietly，iohisarturefromherusualbrightandperkypersonality。Thefolledmetoask，“Areyouokey？”ThoughIingfora“Yes，I’mfine。”respoively，Ikreadedohihanamissingflower。
“Oh，”shesaidsoftly，ressiohreandsorrow。“Todayistheanniversaryofmymother’sdeath。Imisshersomuch。IguessI’mabitblue。”
“Iuand，”Isaid，feelingpassiowantioemotionalwaters。“I’msureit’sverydifficultforyoutotalkabout，”Iued，thebusiofmehopingshewouldagree，butmyheartuandingthattherewasmore。
“No，it’sokay，really。IknowthatI’mextraordioday。Thisisaday，Isuppose。Yousee。。。”aellmethestory。
“Mymotherknewshewaslosiotually，shedied。Iwas15atthetime。Wewereveryclose。Shewassoloving，sogiving。Becausesheknewshewasdying，sheprerecordedabirthdaymessageIwastowatcheveryyearonmybirthday，fromage16untilIreached25。Todayismy25thbirthday，andthismIwatchedthevideoshepreparedforthisday。IguessI’mstilldigestingit。Andwishingshe
“Well，myheartgoesouttoyou，”Isaid，reallyfeelidealofempathyforher。
“Thankyouforyourkindness，”shesaid。“Oh，andaboutthemissingfloweryouaskedabout。WhenIwasalittlegirl，mymotherwouldoftenputflowersinmyhair。Onedaywhehehospital，Itookherthisbeautifullargerardeuptohernosesosheellit，shetookitfromme，andwithoutsayingaword，pulledmeclosetmyhairandbrushingitfrommyface，plamyhair，justasshehaddonewhenIwaslittle。Shediedlaterthatday。”Tearscametohereyesassheadded，“I’vejustalwayswornaflowerinmyhairsimademefeelasthoughshewerewithme，ifonlyinspirit。But，”shesighed，“today，asIwatchedthevideodesighisbirthday，initshesaidshewassorryfornotbeihereasIgreedshehadbeenagoodparent，andthatshewouldlikeasignthatIwasbeingselfsuffit。That’sthewaymymhtthewayshetalked。”Shelookedatme，smilingfondlyatthememory，“Shewassowise。”
In，“Yes，shesoundsverywise。”