第5部分(第1/7 頁)

The　old　wooden　floor　creaked　as　I　steppedacross　the　threshold　of　this　aging　house。　There　was　a　cheap　mat　just　inside　the　door。　The　mat　was　there　to　hide　the　years　of　wear　from　countless　footsteps　that　the　floor　had　supported。　Although　clean；　it　needed　to　be　replaced。

I　felt　claustrophobic　as　I　entered　the　narrow　living　room；　which　was　filled　with　old　musty　overstuffed　furniture　that　today　would　be　collector's　items。　Sitting　on　the　couch　were　two　women；　a　little　older　than　my　mom。　Across　from　the　women　sat　a　man　in　workman's　clothes。　He　wore　khaki　slacks　and　a　khaki　shirt；　neatly　pressed　but　without　starch；　and　polished　work　books。　He　was　about　10　years　older　than　my　dad；　I'd　say　about　45　years　old。　They　smiled　as　Mike　and　I　walked　past　them；　heading　for　the　kitchen；　which　lead　to　the　porch　that　overlooked　the　back　yard。　I　smiled　back　shyly。

〃Who　are　those　people？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　they　work　for　my　dad。　The　older　man　runs　his　warehouses；　and　the　women　are　the　managers　of　the　restaurants。　And　you　saw　the　construction　supervisor；　who　is　working　on　a　road　project　about　50　miles　from　here。　His　other　supervisor；　who　is　building　a　track　of　houses；　had　already　left　before　you　got　here。〃

〃Does　this　go　on　all　the　time？〃　I　asked。

〃Not　always；　but　quite　often；〃　said　Mike；　smiling　as　he　pulled　up　a　chair　to　sit　down　next　to　me。

〃I　asked　him　if　he　would　teach　us　to　make　money；〃　Mike　said。

〃Oh；　and　what　did　he　say　to　that？〃　I　asked　with　cautious　curiosity。

〃Well；　he　had　a　funny　look　on　his　face　at　first；　and　then　he　said　he　would　make　us　an　offer。〃

〃Oh；〃　I　said；　rocking　my　chair　back　against　the　wall；　I　sat　there

perched　on　two　rear　legs　of　the　chair。

Mike　did　the　same　thing。

〃Do　you　know　what　the　off