cwilleford.miamiblues-第6部分

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　　〃Is　the　governor　a　Jesuit？〃
　　〃That's　a　Catholic；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃An　educated　Catholic；　the　way　it　was　explained　to　me。〃
　　〃No；　he's　a　Protestant。　It　would　be　a　waste　of　money　for　a　Catholic　to　run　for　office　down　here。〃
　　〃Tell　me　about　Okeechobee；　and　tell　me　why　you　came　to　Miami。〃
　　〃It's　a　lot　hotter　up　there　than　it　is　here；　for　one　thing。　And　it　rains　more；　too；　because　of　the　lake。　It's　a　little　town；　not　big　like　Miami；　but　there's　lots　to　do；　like　bowling　and　going　juking；　or　fishing　and　swimming。　If　you　don't　like　country；　you　wouldn't　like　Okeechobee。　If　a　girl　doesn't　get　married；　there　isn't　much　future　there；　and　nobody　ever　asked　me　to　get　married。　I　did　the　cooking　for　my　daddy　and　my　brother；　but　that　didn't　stop　me　from　getting　pregnant。　That's　why　I　came　to　Miami；　really；　to　get　me　an　abortion。　My　father　said　it　was　a　disgrace　to　get　pregnant　that　way；　and　he　told　me　not　to　e　back…〃
　　〃The　〃Reader's　Digest〃　said　about　forty　percent　of　the　girls　who　get　pregnant　aren't　married。　What's　he　so　uptight　about？〃
　　〃My　brother；　Marty；　had　a　big　fight　with　him　about　that。　He　told　daddy　it's　the　Lord's　right　to　punish　people；　and　that　daddy　didn't　have　any　right　to　sit　in　judgment　on　me。　So　the　upshot　of　all　that　was　that　Marty　had　to　go　with　me；　and　he　was　told　not　to　e　back　either。　Daddy　doesn't　believe　in　much　of　anything；　and　Marty's　really　religious；　you　see。〃
　　〃So　you　both　came　down　to　Miami？〃
　　She　nodded。　〃On　the　bus。　Marty　and　me　are　really　close。　We　were　born　only　ten　months　apart；　and　he's　always　taken　my　side　against　daddy。〃
　　The　waitress　interrupted。　〃You　want　more　tea；　or　d'you　want　to　order　now？〃
　　〃I'll　have　the　Circe　Salad；〃　Susan　said。　〃I　always　get　that。〃
　　〃Me；　too；〃　Freddy　said。
　　〃You'll　like　the　Circe　Salad。　Daddy　gets　mad；　but　he　always　gets　over　it。　I　think　we　could　go　back　now；　and　he　wouldn't　say　a　word。　But　we've　done　so　well　down　here；　we're　going　to　stay　a　long　time。　We're　saving　our　money；　and　when　we've　got　enough　saved　Marty　wants　to　go　back　to　Okeechobee　and　get　us　a　Burger　King　franchise。　He'll　be　the　day　manager；　and　I'll　manage　nights。　We'll　build　a　house　on　the　lake；　get　us　a　speedboat；　and　everything。〃
　　〃Marty　has　it　all　figured　out。〃
　　Susan　nodded。　〃That's　why　I'm　going　to　Miami…Dade。　When　I　finish　English　and　social　science；　I'm　going　to　take　business　and　management　courses。〃
　　〃What　about　your　mother？　What　does　she　think　about　you　two　leaving？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　where　she　is；　and　neither　does　daddy。　She　was　working　the　counter　at　the　truck　stop；　and　then　one　night；　when　I　was　only　five；　she　ran　off　with　a　truck　driver。　Daddy　traced　her　as　far　as　New　Orleans；　paying　a　private　detective；　and　then　the　trail　got　cold。
　　〃But　Marty　and　me　are　doing　real　good　here。　He's　got　a　job　collecting　money　for　the　Hare　Krishnas；　and　he　gives　at　least　a　hundred　dollars　of　it　every　day　to　me　to　put　in　the　bank。　It's　a　hard　life　for　Marty；　pared　to　mine；　because　he's　restricted　to　the　camp　at　night；　and　he　has　to　get　up　at　four　A。M。　every　morning　to　pray。　But　he　doesn't　mind　working　seven　days　a　week　at　the　airport；　not　when　he　makes　a　hundred　dollars　a　day　for　us　to　save。〃
　　〃I　think　I　saw　one　out　at　the　airport　today。　I　don't　understand　this　Hare　Krishna　business。　What　are　they；　anyway？　It　doesn't　sound　American。〃
　　〃They　are　now。　It's　some　kind　of　religious　cult　from　India；　a　professional　beggars'　group；　and　now　they're　all　over　the　United　States。　They　must　be　in　California；　too。〃
　　〃Maybe　so。　I　never　heard　of　them　before；　that's　all。〃
　　〃Well；　Marty　saw　the　advantages　right　away；　because　it's　a　way　to　beg　legally。〃
　　Susan　leaned　forward　and　lowered　her　voice。
　　〃What　he　does；　you　see；　is　put　a　dollar　in　one　pocket　for　the　Krishnas；　and　a　dollar　in　another　pocket　for　us。　The　Knshnas；　being　a　religious　organization；　can　beg　at　the　airport；　whereas　if　you　were　to　go　out　there　and　beg；　they'd　put　you　in　jail。〃
　　〃In　other　words；　your　brother's　stealing　the　Krishnas　blind。〃
　　〃I　guess　you　can　put　it　that　way。　He　said　they'd　kick　him　out　if　they　ever　found　out。　But　they　aren't　going　to　catch　on。　I　meet　Marty　every　night　by　the　mailbox　outside　the　Airport　Hotel；　which　is　right　inside　the　airport。　While　I　pretend　to　mail　a　letter；　he　slips　the　money　into　my　purse。　He's　got　a　partner　who's　supposed　to　be　watching　him；　but　Marty　can　always　get　away　for　a　minute　to　go　to　the　men's　room。　What　I　can't　understand　is　why　those　passengers　out　there　hand　him　fives　and　tens；　and　sometimes　a　twenty；　just　because　he　asks　for　it。　He　says　they're　afraid　not　to；　that　they're　all　guilty　about　something　they've　done　bad。　But　he　sure　collects　a　lot　of　money　on　a　twelve…hour　shift　out　there。〃
　　The　waitress　brought　their　Circe　Salads：　large　chunks　of　romaine　lettuce；　orange　slices；　bean　and　wheat　sprouts；　shredded　coconut；　a　blob　of　vanilla　yogurt；　and　a　topping　of　grated　sugar…cane　sawdust　soaked　in　ginseng。　The　salad　was　served　in　a　porcelain　bowl　in　the　shape　of　a　giant　clam　shell。
　　〃I've　never　eaten　in　a　health　food　restaurant　before。〃
　　〃Me　neither；　till　I　came　to　Miami。　You　don't　have　to　eat　it　if　you　don't　like　it。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　the　ginseng　root。　Do　they　put　it　in　everything　here？〃
　　〃Just　about。　It's　supposed　to　make　you　feel　sexy；　so　they　use　ginseng　because　they　don't　serve　meat　here。　That's　the　reason；　I　think。〃
　　〃I'd　rather　have　meat。　This　would　be　all　right　without　the　ginseng　taste。　How'd　you　do　this　afternoon？〃
　　〃Fifty　dollars。　One　Colombian；　and　an　old　man　from　Dayton；　Ohio。　Counting　all　those　clothes　you　gave　me；　it　was　a　good　day　for　me。　Besides；　I　got　to　meet　you。　You're　the　nicest　man　I've　ever　met。〃
　　〃I　think　you're　nice；　too。〃
　　〃Your　hands　are　just　beautiful。〃
　　〃Nobody　ever　told　me　that　before。　Here…take　the　rest　of　my　salad。〃
　　〃You　didn't　even　try　the　yogurt。〃
　　〃Yogurt？　I　thought　it　was　soured　ice　cream。〃
　　〃No；　it's　yogurt。　It's　supposed　to　taste　a　little　sour。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　it。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；　Junior。　I　guess　I　should've　had　you　meet　me　at　the　Burger　King。　It's　right　across　from　the　school。〃
　　〃I'm　not　that　hungry。　I　had　a　club　sandwich　in　my　room；　before　I　bought　these　new　clothes。〃
　　〃Your　blue　shirt　matches　your　eyes。　Did　you　buy　it　because　it　matched　your　eyes？〃
　　〃No。　I　liked　the　extra　pockets。　It's　too　hot　to　wear　a　jacket；　and　I　need　the　pockets。　Is　it　always　this　hot？〃
　　〃It's　only　about　eighty…five。　That's　normal　for　October。　In　the　summer　it　gets　really　hot；　especially　up　in　Okeechobee。　And　then　there're　mosquitoes；　too。　It　gets　so　hot　you　can't　do　anything　even　if　you　wanted　to。　When　you　go　out　to　a　drive…in　movie　at　night；　all　you　do　is　sweat　and　drink　beer　and　spray　Cutter's。〃
　　〃Cutter's？〃
　　〃That's　mosquito　spray；　and　it　really　works；　too。　Oh；　they'll　still　buzz　around　your　ears；　but　they　won't　land　on　you…not　if　you　spray　on　enough　Cutter's。　There's　another　brand；　when　you　spray　too　much　on；　you　get　a　rash。　But　you　don't　care　about　the　rash；　because　you've　already　got　a　rash　from　prickly　heat。　We　better　pay　and　go　to　class。〃
　　〃I'll　pay。　Give　me　the　ticket。〃
　　〃No；　it's　my　treat。　If　you　want　to；　you　can　go　to　class　with　me。　It's　air…conditioned；　and　Professor　Turner　won't　mind。　He'll　think　you're　a　member　of　the　class　anyway。　He　told　us　that　he　doesn't　learn　our　names。　He　finds　out　the　names　of　the　A　and　F　students　soon　enough；　he　says；　and　the　rest　of　us　don't　matter。　I'm　only　a　C　student　in　English；　so　he's　never　even　called　on　me　yet。〃
　　
　　There　were　thirty…five　students　in　the　class；　thirty…six；　counting　Freddy；　who　took　the　last　seat　in　the　row　by　the　back　wall；　behind　Susan。　There　were　no　windows；　and　the　walls；　except　for　the　green　blackboard；　were　covered　with　cork。　The　city　noises　were　shut　out　pletely。　The　students；　mostly　Latins　and　blacks；　were　silent　as　they　watched　the　teacher　write　〃Haiku〃　on　the　green　board　with　a　piece　of　orange　chalk。　The　teacher；　a　heavy…set　and　bearded　man　in　his　late　forties；　did　not　take　roll；　he　had　just　waited　for　silence　before　writing　on　the　board。
　　〃Haiku；〃　he　said；　in　a　well…trained　voice；　〃is　a　seventeensyllable　poem　that　the　Japanese　have　been　writing　for　several　centuries。　I　don't　speak　Japanese；　but　as　I　understand　haiku；　pronounced　〃ha…ee…koo〃；　much　of　the　beauty　is　lost　in　the　translation　from　Japanese　to　English。
　　〃English　isn't　a　good　language　for　rhymes。　Three…quarters　of　the　poetry　written　in　English　is　unrhymed　because　of　the　paucity　of　rhyming　words。　Unhappily　for　you　Spanish…speaking　students；　you　have　so　many　words　ending　in　vowels；　you　have　the　difficulty　in　reverse。
　　〃At　any　rate；　here　is　a　haiku　in　English。〃
　　He　wrote　on　the　board：
　　
　　The　Miami　sun；
　　Rising　in　the　Everglades…
　　Burger　in　a　bun。
　　
　　〃This　haiku；〃　he　continued；　〃which　I　made　up　in　Johnny　Raffa's　bar　before　I　came　to　class；　is　a　truly　rotten　poem。　But　I　assure　you　I　had　no　help　with　it。　Basho；　the　great　Japanese　poet；　if　he　knew　English　and　if　he　were　still　alive；　would　positively　detest　it。　But　he　would　recognize　it　as　a　haiku　because　it　has　five　syllables　in　the　first　line；　seven　in　the　second；　and　five　in　the　third。　Add　them　up　and　you　have　seventeen　syllables；　all　you　need　for　a　haiku；　and　all　of　them　concentrating　on　a　penetrating　idea。
　　〃You're　probably　thinking；　those　of　you　who　wonder　。about　things　like　this；　why　am　I　talking　about　Japanese　poetry？　I'll　tell　you。　I　want　you　to　write　simple　sentences…subject；　verb；　object。　I　want　you　to　use　concrete　words　that　convey　exact　meanings。
　　〃I　know　you　Spanish…speaking　students　don't　know　many　Anglo…Saxon　words；　but　that's　because　you　persist　in　speaking　Spanish　to　one　another　outside　of　class　instead　of　practicing　English。　Except　for　giving　you　Fs　on　your　papers；　I　can't　help　you　much　there。　But　when　you　write　your　papers；　pore…　〃p…or…e〃　…over　your　dictionaries　for　concrete　words。　When　you　write　in　English；　force　your　reader　to　reach　for　something。〃
　　There　was　a　snicker　at　the　back　of　the　room。
　　〃Basho　wrote　haikus　in　the　seventeenth　century；　and　they're　still　being　read　and　talked　about　in　Japan　today。　There　are　a　couple　of　hundred　haiku　magazines　in　Japan；　and　every　month　articles　are　still　be