第4部分(第3/7 頁)

eep　thinking　of　a　way　to　make　money。　Finally；　that　afternoon；　a　bolt　of　lightning　came　through　our　heads。　It　was　an　idea　Mike　had　gotten　from　a　science　book　he　had　read。　Excitedly；　we　shook　hands；　and　the　partnership　now　had　a　business。

For　the　next　several　weeks；　Mike　and　I　ran　around　our　neighborhood；　knocking　on　doors　and　asking　our　neighbors　if　they　would　save　their　toothpaste　tubes　for　us。　With　puzzled　looks；　most　adults　consented　with　a　smile。　Some　asked　us　what　we　were　doing。　To　which　we　replied；　〃We　can't　tell　you。　It's　a　business　secret。〃

My　mom　grew　distressed　as　the　weeks　wore　on。　We　had　selected　a

site　next　to　her　washing　machine　as　the　place　we　would　stockpile　our　raw　materials。　In　a　brown　cardboard　box　that　one　time　held　catsup　bottles；　our　little　pile　of　used　toothpaste　tubes　began　to　grow。

Finally　my　mom　put　her　foot　down。　The　sight　of　her　neighbors'　；　messy；　crumpled　used　toothpaste　tubes　had　gotten　to　her。　〃What　are　you　boys　doing？〃　she　asked。　〃And　I　don't　want　to　hear　again　that　it's　a　business　secret。　Do　something　with　this　mess　or　I'm　going　to　throw　it　out。〃

Mike　and　I　pleaded　and　begged；　explaining　that　we　would　soon　have　enough　and　then　we　would　begin　production。　We　informed　her　that　we　were　waiting　on　a　couple　of　neighbors　to　finish　using　up　their　toothpaste　so　we　could　have　their　tubes。　Mom　granted　us　a　one…week　extension。

The　date　to　begin　production　was　moved　up。　The　pressure　was　on。　My　first　partnership　was　already　being　threatened　with　an　eviction　notice　from　our　warehouse　space　by　my　own　mom。　It　became　Mike's　job　to　tell　the　neighbors　to　quickly　use　up　their　toothpaste；　saying　their　dentist　wanted　them　to　brush　more　often　anyway。　I　began　to　put　together　the　production　line。

One　day　my　dad　dro