ListentoChildren
佚名/Anonymous
Wehopethatyoucanseeinthisstoryhowchildrenteachus,sosimply,tobebetterpeople.
MydaybeganonadecidedlysournotewhenIsawmysix-year-oldwrestlingwithalimbofmyazaleabush.BythetimeIgotoutside,he』dbrokenit.「CanItakethistoschooltoday?」heasked.Withawavetomyhand,Isenthimoff.Iturnedmybacksohewouldn』tseethetearsgatheringinmyeyes.Ilovedthatazaleabush.Itouchedthebrokenlimbasiftosaysilently,「I』msorry.」
IwishedIcouldhavesaidthattomyhusbandearlier,butI』dbeenangry.Thewashingmachinehadleakedonmybrand-newlinoleum.Ifhe』djusttakenthetimetofixitthenightbeforewhenIaskedhiminsteadofplayingcheckerswithJonathan.Whatarehisprioritiesanyway?Iwondered.IwasstillmoppingupthemesswhenJonathanwalkedintothekitchen.「What』sforbreakfast,Mom?」Iopenedtheemptyrefrigerator.「Notcereal,」Isaid,watchingthesidesoldhismouthdrop.「Howabouttoastandjelly?」Ismearedthetoastwithjellyandsetitinfrontofhim.WhywasIsoangry?Itossedmyhusband』sdishesintothesudsywater.
Itwasdayslikethisthatmademewanttoquit.Ijustwantedtodriveuptothemountains,hideinacave,andnevercomeout.SomehowImanagedtolugthewetclothestothelaundromat.Ispentmostofthedaywashinganddryingclothesandthinkinghowlovehaddisappearedfrommylife.Staringatthegraffitionthewalls,Ifeltaswrung-outastheclothesleftinthewashers.AsIfinishedhangingupthelastofmyhusband』sshirts,Ilookedattheclock.2:30.Iwaslate.Jonathan』sclassletoutat2:15.Idumpedtheclothesinthebackseatandhurriedlydrovetotheschool.IwasoutofbreathbythetimeIknockedontheteacher』sdoorandpeeredthroughtheglass.Withonefinger,shemotionedformetowait.ShesaidsomethingtoJonathanandhandedhimandtwootherchildrencrayonsandasheetofpaper.
Whatnow?Ithought,assherustledthroughthedoorandtookmeaside.「IwanttotalktoyouaboutJonathan,」shesaid.Ipreparedmyselffortheworst.Nothingwouldhavesurprisedme.「DidyouknowJonathanbroughtflowerstoschooltoday?」sheasked.
Inodded,thinkingaboutmyfavoritebushandtryingtohidethehurtinmyeyes.Iglancedatmysonbusilycoloringapicture.Hiswavyhailwastoolongandfloppedjustbeneathhisbrow.Hebrusheditawaywiththebackofhishand.Hiseyesburstwithblueasheadmiredhishandiwork.
「Letmetellyouaboutyesterday,」theteacherinsisted.「Seethatlittlegirl?」
Iwatchedthebright-eyedchildlaughandpointtoacolorfulpicturetapedtothewall.Inodded.
「Well,yesterdayshewasalmosthysterical.Hermotherandfatheraregoingthroughanastydivorce.Shetoldmeshedidn』twanttolive,shewishedshecoulddie.Iwatchedthatlittlegirlburyherfaceinherhandsandsayloudenoughfortheclasstohear,『Nobodylovesme.』IdidallIcouldtoconsolher,butitonlyseemedtomakemattersworse.」
「IthoughtyouwantedtotalktomeaboutJonathan.」Isaid.
「Ido,」shesaid,touchingthesleeveofmyblouse.「Todayyoursonwalkedstraightovertothatchild.Iwatchedhimhandhersomeprettypinkflowersandwhisper,『Iloveyou.』」