cwilleford.miamiblues-第7节

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ty　every　night　by　the　mailbox　outside　the　Airport　Hotel；　which　is　right　inside　the　airport。　While　I　pretend　to　mail　a　letter；　he　slips　the　money　into　my　purse。　He's　got　a　partner　who's　supposed　to　be　watching　him；　but　Marty　can　always　get　away　for　a　minute　to　go　to　the　men's　room。　What　I　can't　understand　is　why　those　passengers　out　there　hand　him　fives　and　tens；　and　sometimes　a　twenty；　just　because　he　asks　for　it。　He　says　they're　afraid　not　to；　that　they're　all　guilty　about　something　they've　done　bad。　But　he　sure　collects　a　lot　of　money　on　a　twelve…hour　shift　out　there。〃
　　The　waitress　brought　their　Circe　Salads：　large　chunks　of　romaine　lettuce；　orange　slices；　bean　and　wheat　sprouts；　shredded　coconut；　a　blob　of　vanilla　yogurt；　and　a　topping　of　grated　sugar…cane　sawdust　soaked　in　ginseng。　The　salad　was　served　in　a　porcelain　bowl　in　the　shape　of　a　giant　clam　shell。
　　〃I've　never　eaten　in　a　health　food　restaurant　before。〃
　　〃Me　neither；　till　I　came　to　Miami。　You　don't　have　to　eat　it　if　you　don't　like　it。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　the　ginseng　root。　Do　they　put　it　in　everything　here？〃
　　〃Just　about。　It's　supposed　to　make　you　feel　sexy；　so　they　use　ginseng　because　they　don't　serve　meat　here。　That's　the　reason；　I　think。〃
　　〃I'd　rather　have　meat。　This　would　be　all　right　without　the　ginseng　taste。　How'd　you　do　this　afternoon？〃
　　〃Fifty　dollars。　One　Colombian；　and　an　old　man　from　Dayton；　Ohio。　Counting　all　those　clothes　you　gave　me；　it　was　a　good　day　for　me。　Besides；　I　got　to　meet　you。　You're　the　nicest　man　I've　ever　met。〃
　　〃I　think　you're　nice；　too。〃
　　〃Your　hands　are　just　beautiful。〃
　　〃Nobody　ever　told　me　that　before。　Here…take　the　rest　of　my　salad。〃
　　〃You　didn't　even　try　the　yogurt。〃
　　〃Yogurt？　I　thought　it　was　soured　ice　cream。〃
　　〃No；　it's　yogurt。　It's　supposed　to　taste　a　little　sour。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　it。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；　Junior。　I　guess　I　should've　had　you　meet　me　at　the　Burger　King。　It's　right　across　from　the　school。〃
　　〃I'm　not　that　hungry。　I　had　a　club　sandwich　in　my　room；　before　I　bought　these　new　clothes。〃
　　〃Your　blue　shirt　matches　your　eyes。　Did　you　buy　it　because　it　matched　your　eyes？〃
　　〃No。　I　liked　the　extra　pockets。　It's　too　hot　to　wear　a　jacket；　and　I　need　the　pockets。　Is　it　always　this　hot？〃
　　〃It's　only　about　eighty…five。　That's　normal　for　October。　In　the　summer　it　gets　really　hot；　especially　up　in　Okeechobee。　And　then　there're　mosquitoes；　too。　It　gets　so　hot　you　can't　do　anything　even　if　you　wanted　to。　When　you　go　out　to　a　drive…in　movie　at　night；　all　you　do　is　sweat　and　drink　beer　and　spray　Cutter's。〃
　　〃Cutter's？〃
　　〃That's　mosquito　spray；　and　it　really　works；　too。　Oh；　they'll　still　buzz　around　your　ears；　but　they　won't　land　on　you…not　if　you　spray　on　enough　Cutter's。　There's　another　brand；　when　you　spray　too　much　on；　you　get　a　rash。　But　you　don't　care　about　the　rash；　because　you've　already　got　a　rash　from　prickly　heat。　We　better　pay　and　go　to　class。〃
　　〃I'll　pay。　Give　me　the　ticket。〃
　　〃No；　it's　my　treat。　If　you　want　to；　you　can　go　to　class　with　me。　It's　air…conditioned；　and　Professor　Turner　won't　mind。　He'll　think　you're　a　member　of　the　class　anyway。　He　told　us　that　he　doesn't　learn　our　names。　He　finds　out　the　names　of　the　A　and　F　students　soon　enough；　he　says；　and　the　rest　of　us　don't　matter。　I'm　only　a　C　student　in　English；　so　he's　never　even　called　on　me　yet。〃
　　
　　There　were　thirty…five　students　in　the　class；　thirty…six；　counting　Freddy；　who　took　the　last　seat　in　the　row　by　the　back　wall；　behind　Susan。　There　were　no　windows；　and　the　walls；　except　for　the　green　blackboard；　were　covered　with　cork。　The　city　noises　were　shut　out　pletely。　The　students；　mostly　Latins　and　blacks；　were　silent　as　they　watched　the　teacher　write　〃Haiku〃　on　the　green　board　with　a　piece　of　orange　chalk。　The　teacher；　a　heavy…set　and　bearded　man　in　his　late　forties；　did　not　take　roll；　he　had　just　waited　for　silence　before　writing　on　the　board。
　　〃Haiku；〃　he　said；　in　a　well…trained　voice；　〃is　a　seventeensyllable　poem　that　the　Japanese　have　been　writing　for　several　centuries。　I　don't　speak　Japanese；　but　as　I　understand　haiku；　pronounced　〃ha…ee…koo〃；　much　of　the　beauty　is　lost　in　the　translation　from　Japanese　to　English。
　　〃English　isn't　a　good　language　for　rhymes。　Three…quarters　of　the　poetry　written　in　English　is　unrhymed　because　of　the　paucity　of　rhyming　words。　Unhappily　for　you　Spanish…speaking　students；　you　have　so　many　words　ending　in　vowels；　you　have　the　difficulty　in　reverse。
　　〃At　any　rate；　here　is　a　haiku　in　English。〃
　　He　wrote　on　the　board：
　　
　　The　Miami　sun；
　　Rising　in　the　Everglades…
　　Burger　in　a　bun。
　　
　　〃This　haiku；〃　he　continued；　〃which　I　made　up　in　Johnny　Raffa's　bar　before　I　came　to　class；　is　a　truly　rotten　poem。　But　I　assure　you　I　had　no　help　with　it。　Basho；　the　great　Japanese　poet；　if　he　knew　English　and　if　he　were　still　alive；　would　positively　detest　it。　But　he　would　recognize　it　as　a　haiku　because　it　has　five　syllables　in　the　first　line；　seven　in　the　second；　and　five　in　the　third。　Add　them　up　and　you　have　seventeen　syllables；　all　you　need　for　a　haiku；　and　all　of　them　concentrating　on　a　penetrating　idea。
　　〃You're　probably　thinking；　those　of　you　who　wonder　。about　things　like　this；　why　am　I　talking　about　Japanese　poetry？　I'll　tell　you。　I　want　you　to　write　simple　sentences…subject；　verb；　object。　I　want　you　to　use　concrete　words　that　convey　exact　meanings。
　　〃I　know　you　Spanish…speaking　students　don't　know　many　Anglo…Saxon　words；　but　that's　because　you　persist　in　speaking　Spanish　to　one　another　outside　of　class　instead　of　practicing　English。　Except　for　giving　you　Fs　on　your　papers；　I　can't　help　you　much　there。　But　when　you　write　your　papers；　pore…　〃p…or…e〃　…over　your　dictionaries　for　concrete　words。　When　you　write　in　English；　force　your　reader　to　reach　for　something。〃
　　There　was　a　snicker　at　the　back　of　the　room。
　　〃Basho　wrote　haikus　in　the　seventeenth　century；　and　they're　still　being　read　and　talked　about　in　Japan　today。　There　are　a　couple　of　hundred　haiku　magazines　in　Japan；　and　every　month　articles　are　still　being　written　about　Basho's　most　famous　haiku。　I'll　give　you　the　literal　translation　instead　of　a　seventeen…syllable　translation。〃
　　He　wrote　on　the　blackboard：
　　
　　Old　pond。
　　Frog　jumps　in。
　　Water　sound。
　　
　　〃There　you　have　it；〃　Mr。　Turner　said；　scratching　his　beard　with　the　piece　of　chalk。　〃Old　pond。　Frog　jumps　in。　Water　sound。　What's　missing；　of　course；　is　the　onomatopoeia　of　the　water　sound。　But　the　meaning　is　clear　enough。　What　does　it　mean？〃
　　He　looked　around　the　room　but　was　unsuccessful　in　catching　anyone's　eye。　The　students；　with　sullen　mouths　and　lowered　lids；　studied　books　and　papers　on　their　armrest　desk　tops。
　　〃I　can　wait；〃　Mr。　Turner　said。　〃You　know　me　well　enough　by　now　to　know　that　I　can　wait　for　a　volunteer　for　about　fifteen　minutes　before　my　patience　runs　out。　I　wish　I　could　wait　longer；　because　while　I'm　waiting　for　volunteers　I　don't　have　to　teach。〃　He　folded　his　arms。
　　A　young　man　wearing　cut…off　jeans；　a　faded　blue　tank　top；　and　scuffed　running　shoes　without　socks；　lifted　his　right　hand　two　inches　above　his　desk　top。
　　〃You；　then；〃　the　teacher　said；　pointing　with　his　chalk。
　　〃What　it　means；　I　think；〃　the　student　began；　〃is　that　there's　an　old　pond　of　water。　This　frog；　wanting　to　get　into　the　water；　es　along　and　jumps　in。　When　he　plops　into　the　water　he　makes　a　sound；　like　splash。〃
　　〃Very　good！　That's　about　as　literal　an　interpretation　as　you　can　get。　But　if　that's　all　there　is　to　the　poem；　why　would　serious　young　men　in　Japan　write　papers　about　this　poem　every　month　in　their　haiku　magazines？　But；　thank　you。　At　least　we　have　the　literal　translation　out　of　the　way。
　　〃Now；　let's　say　that　Miami　represents　the　old　pond。　You；　or　most　of　you；　anyway；　came　here　from　somewhere　else。　You　e　to　Miami；　that　is；　and　you　jump　into　this　old　pond。　We've　got　a　million　and　a　half　people　here　already；　so　the　splash　you　make　isn't　going　to　make　a　very　large　sound。　Or　is　it？　It　surely　depends　upon　the　frog。　Some　of　you；　I'm　afraid；　will　make　a　very　large　splash；　and　we'll　all　hear　it。　Some　will　make　a　splash　so　faint　that　it　won't　be　heard　by　your　next　door　neighbor。　But　at　least　we're　all　in　the　same　pond；　and…〃
　　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　Annoyed；　Mr。　Turner　crossed　to　the　door　and　opened　it。　Freddy　leaned　forward　and　whispered　to　Susan。　〃That's　some　pretty　heavy　shit　he's　laying　down。　D'you　know　what　he's　talking　about？〃
　　Susan　shook　her　head。
　　〃Us！　You；　your　brother；　and　me。　What's　that　other　word　mean　he　keeps　talking　about…〃onomatopoeia？〃〃
　　〃It's　the　word　for　the　actual　sound。　Like　〃splash〃；　when　the　frog　jumps　in。〃
　　〃Right！　See　what　I　mean？〃　Freddy's　eyes　glittered。　〃You　and　me；　Susan。　We're　going　to　make　us　a　big　splash　in　this　town。〃
　　
　　
　　6
　　
　　Professor　Turner　stepped　back　into　the　room　and　cleared　his　throat。　〃Is　Susan　Waggoner　here　today？〃
　　Susan　raised　her　hand。
　　〃e　out　into　the　hallway；　please。　Bring　your　things　with　you。〃
　　Susan　put　her　books　into　her　oversize　bag。　Freddy　followed　her　into　the　corridor；　carrying　the　laundry　bag。　The　teacher　frowned　at　Freddy　and　shook　his　head。
　　〃This　doesn't