TheGiftofUnderstanding
保爾·威利亞德/PaulVilliard
ImusthavebeenaroundfouryearsoldwhenIf?irstenteredMr.Wigden』scandyshop,butthesmellofthatwonderfulworldofpennytreasuresstillcomesbacktomeclearlymorethanahaft-centurylater.Wheneverheheardthetinytinkleofthebellattachedtothefrontdoor,Mr.Wigdenquietlyappeared,totakehisstandbehindthecandycase.Hewasveryold,andhisheadwastoppedwithacloudoff?ine,snow-whitehair.
Neverwassuchanarrayofdelicioustemptationsspreadbeforeachild.Itwasalmostpainfultomakeachoice.Eachkindhadf?irsttobesavoredintheimaginationbeforepassingontothenext.Therewasalwaysashortpangofregretastheselectionwasdroppedintoalittlewhitepapersack.Perhapsanotherkindwouldtastebetter?Orlastlonger?Mr.Wigdenhadatrickofscoopingyourselectionintothesack,thenpausing.Notawordwasspoken,buteverychildunderstoodthatMr.Wigden』sraisedeyebrowsconstitutedalast-minuteopportunitytomakeanexchange.Onlyafterpaymentwasonthecounterwasthesackirrevocablytwistedshutandthemomentofindecisionended.
Ourhousewastwoblocksfromthestreetcarline,andIhadtopasstheshopgoingtoandfromthecars.Motherhadtakenmeintotownonsomeforgottenerrand,andaswewalkedhomefromthetrolleymotherturnedintoMr.Wigden』s.
「Let』sseeifwecanf?indsomethinggood.」shesaid,leadingmeuptothelongglasscaseastheoldmanapproachedfrombehindacurtainedaperture.MymotherstoodtalkingwithhimforafewminutesasIgazedrapturouslyatthewonderfuldisplaybeforemyeyes.F?inally,motherpickedoutsomethingformeandpaidMr.Wigden.
Motherwentintotownonceortwiceaweek,and,sinceinthosedaysbaby-sitterswerealmostunheardof,Iusuallyaccompaniedher.Itbecamearegularroutineforhertotakemeintothecandyshopforsomespecialtreat,andafterthatf?irstvisitIwasalwaysallowedtomakemyownchoice.
Iknewnothingofmoneyatthattime.Iwouldwatchmymotherhandsomethingtopeople,whowouldthenhandherapackageorabag,andslowlytheideaofexchangepercolatedintomymind.SometimeaboutthenIreachedadecision.IwouldjourneytheinterminabletwoblockstoMr.Wigden』sallalone.IrememberthetinkleofthebellasImanaged,aftersomeconsiderableeffort,topushopenthebigdoor.Enthralled,Iworkedmywayslowlyallthewaydownthedisplaycounter.
Herewerespearmintleaveswithafreshmintyfragrance.Theregumdrops—thegreatbigones,sotendertobiteinto,allcrustywithcrystalsofsugar.Inthenexttraywerefudgychocolatebabies.Theboxbehindthemheldenormousjawbreakerswhichmadeasatisfyingbulgeinyourcheek.Thehard,shiny,dark-brown-coveredpeanutsMr.Wigdendishedoutwithalittlewoodenscoop—twoscoopsforacent.And,ofcourse,therewerethelicoricewhips.Theselastedalongtimeifyouletthebitesdissolveinsteadofchewingthem.
WhenIhadpickedoutapromisingassortmentMr.Wigdenleanedoverthecounterandasked,「Youhavethemoneytopayforallthese?」
「Oh,yes,」Ireplied,「Ihavelotsofmoney.」Ireachedoutmyf?ist,andintoMr.Wigden』sopenhandIdumpedahalf-dozencherryseedscarefullywrappedinshinytinfoil.
Mr.Wigdenstoodgazingdownatthepalmofhishand,thenhelookedsearchinglyatmeforalongmoment.
「Isn』titenough?」Iaskedhimanxiously.
Hesighedgently.「Ithinkitisabittoomuch,」heanswered,「Youhavesomechangecoming.」Hewalkedovertohisold-fashionedcashregisterandcrankedopenthedrawer.Returningtothecounter,heleanedoveranddroppedtwopenniesintomyoutstretchedhand.
Mymotherscoldedmeabouttakingthetripalonewhenshefoundmeout.Idon』tthinkiteveroccurredtohertoaskaboutthef?inancialarrangement.IwassimplycautionednottogoagainunlessIaskedf?irst.Imusthaveobeyedand,evidently,whenpermissionwasgrantedformetomakethetrip,acentortwowasgivenmeformypurchases.sinceIdon』trememberusingcherryseedsasecondtime.Infact,thewholeaffairinsignif?icanttomethen,wassoonforgotteninthebusyoccupationofgrowingup.
WhenIwassixorsevenyearsold,myfamilymovedeast,whereIgrewup,eventuallymarriedandestablishedmyownfamily.MywifeandIopenedashopwherewebredandsoldexoticf?ish.Theaquariumtradewasthenstillinitsinfancy,andmostofthef?ishwereimporteddirectlyfromAsia,AfricaandSouthAmerica.Fewspeciessoldforlessthanf?ivedollarsapair.
Onesunnyafternoonalittlegirlcameinaccompaniedbyhebrother.Theywereperhapsf?iveandsixyearsold,Iwasbusycleaningthetanks.Thetwochildrenstoodwithwide,roundeyes,staringatthejeweledbeautiesswimminginthecrystal-clearwater.「Gosh,」exclaimedtheboy,「Canwebuysome?」
「Yes,」Ireplied.「Ifyoucanpayforthem.」
「Oh,wehavelotsofmoney,」thelittlegirlsaidconf?idently.
Somethinginthewayshespokegavemeanoddfeelingoffamiliarity.Afterwatchingthef?ishforsometime,theyaskedmeforpairsofseveraldifferentkinds,pointingthemoutastheywalkeddowntherowoftanks.Inettedtheirchoicesintoatravelingcontainerandslippeditintoaninsulatedbagfortransport,handingittotheboy.「Carryitcarefully.」Icautioned.