第3部分(第2/6 頁)

she　had　spent　her　last　summer　break。　She　still　remembered　the　cool　breezes　that　caressed　her　skin　as　she　lay　on　the　gritty2　sand。

“Miss　Smith，　did　you　hear　me？”　the　secretary　annoyingly　asked　her。　“Oh；　sorry。　What　did　you　say？”　“Can　you　send　Carla　to　the　office？”　the　secretary　impatiently　asked。　“Oh；　course；”　she　replied　as　she　hung　up　the　phone。　She　turned　from　the　phone　and　yelled　out　Carla’s　name。　Carla；　who　was　one　of　the　many　who　always　seemed　so　needy　that　were　in　her　class　this　year。　Carla　looked　up　from　her　desk；　her　hair　hanging　like　a　matted　displaced　doll。　Her　face　was　lined　with　dirt　that　gave　her　the　appearance　of　one　of　those　munchkins　from　the　Wizard　of　Oz。　“You　need　to　go　to　the　office”；　she　said　while　Carla　slowly　rose　from　her　desk。　“Why　do　I　have　to　go？”　whined　Carla。　“It’s　between　you　and　the　office—just　go　up；”　she　hastily　turned　her　back　as　Carla　walked　out　of　the　room。　Like　having　free　school　uniforms　is　the　answer。　It　would　be　nice　if　just　once　someone　called　saying　something　nice　or　thanking　me　for　all　the　endless　crap　I　have　to　deal　with。　With　a　sigh　she　walked　back　to　her　other　students　who　were　clustered　at　the　back　table　patiently　waiting　her　return。

The　rest　of　the　afternoon　blurred　into　one　long　endless　repetition。　Finally　the　bell　rang　as　a　relief。　As　she　led　her　students　out　the　door　they　walked　behind　her　as　baby　chicks3　returning　to　their　fold。　She　noticed　that　their　mother　hens　clucked　to　them　behind　the　iron　gate。　As　she　proceeded　to　walk　down　the　corridor；　the　air；　which　rose　with　the　musical　tingle　of Spanish　coloring　everything　that　touched　it；　greeted　her。　She　watched　with　a　touch　of　envy　as　the　children　left　her　to　return　to　those　homes　that　probably　were　filled　with　laughter　and　warmth　while　she　would　once　again