AntBites
埃瑪麗·裡尼克/EmmarieLehnick
「Ow!Ow!」IshoutedasIbrokemyjumproperhythmandtangledmyfeetintheslackrope.「Somethinginmyshoeisbitingme.」Iwailed.
Thef?irstgraderswaitingtojumpandthetworopeturnerscircledaroundmeonthedirtplayground.Myteacher,MissBell,heardmeandhurriedover,leavingtheotherrecessteacherinmid-conversation.
「It』sstillstingingme.」IcriedasthecircleofchildrenopenedforMissBell.
「Whichfootisit?」sheasked.
Istuckupmyrightfootasshestoopedovertoinspectit.Justthen,feelinganewsting,Iyelpedinpain.
「Here.Let』stakeoffyourshoe.」instructedMissBell,squattingdowntogettheshoe.
Then,Irememberedtheholesinmysocks.Welfaresocksdidn』tlastlong.HolesinsockswereacommonthingforourfamilyintheyearsfollowingtheGreatDepression.ShoesgotfreshpaperinsertedeverySaturdaytocovertheholesintheirsoles.Butsockswithholeswerejustaccepted.Sockswithholesintheheelsgotpulleddownsotheholewouldn』tshow.Wheretherewasahole,therewouldsoonbeablister.Everyweekasshewashedourclothes,Mamawouldsay,「Evenifwe』repoorandourclothesarewornout.Wecanstillbeclean.」
Ibegantocryfromthepaininmyfoot,butIrefusedtoletMissBelltakeoffmyshoe.Icouldnotbearforherandtheotherstoseetheholeinmyfadedredsock.
「Comeon,then.Let』sgoinsidetotheoff?ice.」
Atrailoff?irstgradersfollowedafterusuntilMissBelltoldthemtostayontheplayground.Ididmybesttocurbmytears.Yet,eachtimethethinginmyshoestungme,Iwouldletoutaloud,「Oh,oh,oh!」Tearsraceddownmycontortedface.
Mr.Stewart,theprincipal,rushedintohisoff?ice.
「What』swrong?」heasked.
「Somethingisstingingherrightfoot,butshewillnotletmetakeoffhershoe.」saidMissBell.
Mr.Stewartliftedmeontohisdesk.「Letmetakealook.」HejustabouthadtheshoeoffwhenIsawthehole.Igrabbedtheshoeandpulleditonandheldit.ThestingingworsenedthetighterIclaspedtheshoe.
「Whywon』tyouletustakeoffyourshoe?」Mr.StewartaskedashelookedfrommetoMissBellandbackatmeinpuzzlement.
MissWomble,thef?ifth—gradeteacher,cameintotheoff?ice.「CanIhelp?Iknowhershelivesnextdoortome.」
「Isuspectantsareinhershoesandstingingthelivingdaylightsoutofher,butshewon』tletustakeoffhershoes.」relatedMissBell.
MissWomblewasagreatneighbor.ShehadevenplayedAnnie—overwithusonoccasion.Sheputbothhandsonmyshakingshouldersandlookedintomydistressed,redeyes.
「Oh,yes,」shesaid,asifrememberingafact.「Ihadabitefromoneofthoseants.Didyouknowtheyaresockeaters?BythetimeIgotmyshoeoff,thatanthadeatenalmosttheentirebottomoffmysock.」Shenoddedherheadupanddownasshelookedattheothertwoadults.「Mustbesock-eaterants.」
Theyreturnedthenod,asifthey,too,hadbeenbittenbysock-eatingants.
「Letmeseehere.」Shefreedmyheelfromtheshoe.「JustwhatIthought.Thosesockantshaveeatenpartofhersock.」
MissBellopenedthemedicinecabinet,gotacottonball,andsaturateditwithalcohol.MissWombleslippedoffmyshoeandsockandshookbothofthemoverthegraytrashbucket.Tworedantsfellintothewaitingcontainer.Astrayoneranforthewall,butMr.Stewart』sshoestoppedhim.
Myswollenfootthrobbed.Mystomachhurt.Myheadached.