第4部分(第4/7 頁)

ve　up　with　a　friend　to　see　two　9…year…old　boys　。　in　the　driveway　with　a　production　line　operating　at　full　speed。　There　was　fine　white　powder　everywhere。　On　a　long　table　were　small　milk　cartons　from　school；　and　our　family's　hibachi　grill　was　glowing　with　red　hot　coals　at　maximum　heat。

Dad　walked　up　cautiously；　having　to　park　the　car　at　the　base　of　the　driveway；　since　the　production　line　blocked　the　carport。　As　he　and　his　friend　got　closer；　they　saw　a　steel　pot　sitting　on　top　of　the　coals；　with　the　toothpaste　tubes　being　melted　down。　In　those　days；　toothpaste　did　not　e　in　plastic　tubes。　The　tubes　were　made　of　lead。　So　once　the　paint　was　burned　off；　the　tubes　were　dropped　in　the　small　steel　pot；　melted　until　they　became　liquid；　and　with　my　mom's　pot　holders　we　were　pouring　the　lead　through　a　small　hole　in　the　top　of　the　milk　cartons。

The　milk　cartons　were　filled　with　plaster…of…Paris。　The　white　powder　everywhere　was　the　plaster　before　we　mixed　it　with　water。　In　my　haste；　I　had　knocked　the　bag　over；　and　the　entire　area　look　like　it　had　been　hit　by　a　snowstorm。　The　milk　cartons　were　the　outer　containers　for　plaster…of…Paris　molds。

My　dad　and　his　friend　watched　as　we　carefully　poured　the　molten　lead　through　a　small　hole　in　the　top　of　the　plaster…of…Paris　cube。

〃Careful；〃　my　dad　said。

I　nodded　without　looking　up。

Finally；　once　the　pouring　was　through；　I　put　the　steel　pot　down　and　smiled　at　my　dad。

〃What　are　you　boys　doing？〃　he　asked　with　a　cautious　smile。

〃We're　doing　what　you　told　me　to　do。　We're　going　to　be　rich；〃　I　said。

〃Yup；〃　said　Mike；　grinning　and　nodding　his　head。　〃We're　partners。〃

〃And　what　is　in　those　plaster　molds？〃　dad　asked。

〃Watch；〃　I　said。　〃This　should　be　a　good　batch。〃

With　a　sm