第5部分(第5/7 頁)

a　bedroom。

I　looked　around　the　room　and　did　not　see　Mike　anywhere。　Feeling　awkward；　I　cautiously　sat　down　next　to　the　same　two　women　who　where　there　four　weeks　earlier。　They　smiled　and　slid　across　the　couch　to　make　room　for　me。

Forty…five　minutes　went　by；　and　I　was　steaming。　The　two　women　had　met　with　him　and　left　thirty　minutes　earlier。　An　older　gentleman　was　in　there　for　twenty　minutes　and　was　also　gone。

The　house　was　empty；　and　I　sat　out　in　his　musty　dark　living　room　on　a　beautiful　sunny　Hawaiian　day；　waiting　to　talk　to　a　cheapskate　who　exploited　children。　I　could　hear　him　rustling　around　the　office；　talking　on　the　phone；　and　ignoring　me。　I　was　now　ready　to　walk　out；　but　for　some　reason　I　stayed。

Finally；　fifteen　minutes　later；　at　exactly　9　o'clock；　rich　dad　walked　out　of　his　office；　said　nothing；　and　signaled　with　his　hand　for　me　to　enter　his　dingy　office。

〃I　understand　you　want　a　raise　or　you're　going　to　quit；〃　rich　dad　said　as　he　swiveled　in　his　office　chair。

〃Well；　you're　not　keeping　your　end　of　the　bargain；〃　I　blurted　out　nearly　in　tears。　It　was　really　frightening　for　a　9…year…old　boy　to　confront　a　grownup。

〃You　said　that　you　would　teach　me　if　I　worked　for　you。　Well；　I've　worked　for　you。　I've　worked　hard。　I've　given　up　my　baseball　games　to　work　for　you。　And　you　don't　keep　your　word。　You　haven't　taught　me　anything。　You　are　a　crook　like　everyone　in　town　thinks　you　are。　You're　greedy。　You　want　all　the　money　and　don't　take　care　of　your　employees。　You　make　me　wait　and　don't　show　me　any　respect。　I'm　only　a　little　boy；　and　I　deserve　to　be　treated　better。〃

Rich　dad　rocked　back　in　his　swivel　chair；　hands　up　to　his　chin；　somewhat　staring　at　me。　It　was　like　he　was　studying　me。

〃Not　bad；〃　he　said。　〃In　less　than