富爸爸、穷爸爸(英文版)-第8节

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〃Ready　to　learn？〃　asked　rich　dad。
〃Absolutely；〃　I　said　with　a　grin。
〃I　have　kept　my　promise。　I've　been　teaching　you　from　afar；〃　my　rich　dad　said。　〃At　9　years　old；　you've　gotten　a　taste　of　what　it　feels　like　to　work　for　money。　Just　multiply　your　last　month　by　fifty　years　and　you　will　have　an　idea　of　what　most　people　spend　their　life　doing。〃
〃I　don't　understand；〃　I　said。
〃How　did　you　feel　waiting　in　line　to　see　me？　Once　to　get　hired　and　once　to　ask　for　more　money？〃
〃Terrible；〃　I　said。
〃If　you　choose　to　work　for　money；　that　is　what　life　is　like　for　many　people；〃　said　rich　dad。
〃And　how　did　you　feel　when　Mrs。　Martin　dropped　three　dimes　in　your　hand　for　three　hours'　work？〃
〃I　felt　like　it　wasn't　enough。　It　seemed　like　nothing。　I　was　disappointed；〃　I　said。
〃And　that　is　how　most　employees　feel　when　they　look　at　their　paychecks。　Especially　after　all　the　tax　and　other　deductions　are　taken　out。　At　least　you　got　100　percent。〃
〃You　mean　most　workers　don't　get　paid　everything？〃　I　asked　with　amazement。
〃Heavens　no！〃　said　rich　dad。　〃The　government　always　takes　its　share　first。〃
〃How　do　they　do　that。〃　I　asked。
〃Taxes；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃You're　taxed　when　you　earn。　You're　taxed　when　you　spend。　You're　taxed　when　you　save。　You're　taxed　when　you　die。〃
〃Why　do　people　let　the　government　do　that　to　them？〃
〃The　rich　don't；〃　said　rich　dad　with　a　smile。　〃The　poor　and　the　middle　class　do。　I'll　bet　you　that　I　earn　more　than　your　dad；　yet　he　pays　more　in　taxes。〃
〃How　can　that　be？〃　I　asked。　As　a　9…year…old　boy；　that　made　no　sense　to　me。　〃Why　would　someone　let　the　government　do　that　to　them？〃
Rich　dad　sat　there　in　silence。　I　guess　he　wanted　me　to　listen　instead　of　jabber　away　at　the　mouth。
Finally；　I　calmed　down。　I　did　not　like　what　I　had　heard。　I　knew　my　dad　complained　constantly　about　paying　so　much　in　taxes；　but　really　did　nothing　about　it。　Was　that　life　pushing　him　around？
Rich　dad　rocked　slowly　and　silently　in　his　chair；　just　looking　at　me。
〃Ready　to　learn？〃　he　asked。
I　nodded　my　head　slowly。
〃As　I　said；　there　is　a　lot　to　learn。　Learning　how　to　have　money　work　for　you　is　a　lifetime　study。　Most　people　go　to　college　for　four　years；　and　their　education　ends。　I　already　know　that　my　study　of　money　will　continue　over　my　lifetime；　simply　because　the　more　I　Find　out；　the　more　I　find　out　I　need　to　know。　Most　people　never　study　the　subject。　They　go　to　work；　get　their　paycheck；　balance　their　checkbooks；　and　that's　it。　On　top　of　that；　they　wonder　why　they　have　money　problems。　Then；　they　think　that　more　money　will　solve　the　problem。　Few　realize　that　it's　their　lack　of　financial　education　that　is　the　problem。〃
〃So　my　dad　has　tax　problems　because　he　doesn't　understand　money？〃　I　asked；　confused。
〃Look；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Taxes　are　just　one　small　section　on　learning　how　to　have　money　work　for　you。　Today；　I　just　wanted　to　find　out　if　you　still　have　the　passion　to　learn　about　money。　Most　people　don't。　They　want　to　go　to　school；　learn　a　profession；　have　fun　at　their　work；　and　earn　lots　of　money。　One　day　they　wake　up　with　big　money　problems；　and　then　they　can't　stop　working。　That's　the　price　of　only　knowing　how　to　work　for　money　instead　of　studying　how　to　have　money　work　for　you。　So　do　you　still　have　the　passion　to　learn？〃　asked　rich　dad。
I　nodded　my　head。
〃Good；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Now　get　back　to　work。　This　time；　I　will　pay　you　nothing。〃
〃What？〃　I　asked　in　amazement。
〃You　heard　me。　Nothing。　You　will　work　the　same　three　hours　every
Saturday；　but　this　time　you　will　not　be　paid　10　cents　per　hour。　You　said　you　wanted　to　learn　to　not　work　for　money；　so　I'm　not　going　to　pay　you　anything。〃
I　couldn't　believe　what　I　was　hearing。
〃I've　already　had　this　conversation　with　Mike。　He's　already　working；　dusting　and　stacking　canned　goods　for　free。　You'd　better　hurry　and　get　back　there。〃
〃That's　not　fair；〃　I　shouted。　〃You've　got　to　pay　something。〃
〃You　said　you　wanted　to　learn。　If　you　don't　learn　this　now；　you'll　grow　up　to　be　like　the　two　women　and　the　older　man　sitting　in　my　living　room；　working　for　money　and　hoping　I　don't　fire　them。　Or　like　your　dad；　earning　lots　of　money　only　to　be　in　debt　up　to　his　eyeballs；　hoping　more　money　will　solve　the　problem。　If　that's　what　you　want；　I'll　go　back　to　our　original　deal　of　10　cents　an　hour。　Or　you　can　do　what　most　people　grow　up　to　do。　Complain　that　there　is　not　enough　pay；　quit　and　go　looking　for　another　job。〃
〃But　what　do　I　do？〃　I　asked。
Rich　dad　tapped　me　on　the　head。　〃Use　this；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　use　it　well；　you　will　soon　thank　me　for　giving　you　an　opportunity；　and　you　will　grow　into　a　rich　man。〃
I　stood　there　still　not　believing　what　a　raw　deal　I　had　been　handed。　Here　I　came　to　ask　for　a　raise；　and　now　I　was　being　told　to　keep　working　for　nothing。
Rich　dad　tapped　me　on　the　head　again　and　said；　〃Use　this。　Now　get　out　of　here　and　get　back　to　work。〃
LESSON　#l：　The　Rich　Don't　Work　For　Money

I　didn't　tell　my　poor　dad　I　wasn't　being　paid。　He　would　not　have　understood；　and　I　did　not　want　to　try　to　explain　something　that　I　did　not　yet　understand　myself。
For　three　more　weeks；　Mike　and　I　worked　for　three　hours；　every　Saturday；　for　nothing。　The　work　didn't　bother　me；　and　the　routine　got　easier。　It　was　the　missed　baseball　games　and　not　being　able　to　afford　to　buy　a　few　comic　books　that　got　to　me。
Rich　dad　stopped　by　at　noon　on　the　third　week。　We　heard　his　truck　pull　up　in　the　parking　lot　and　sputter　when　the　engine　was　turned　off。　He　entered　the　store　and　greeted　Mrs。　Martin　with　a　hug。　After　finding　out　how　things　were　going　in　the　store；　he　reached　into　the　ice…cream　freezer；　pulled　out　two　bars；　paid　for　them；　and　signalled　to　Mike　and　me。
〃Let's　go　for　a　walk　boys。〃
We　crossed　the　street；　dodging　a　few　cars；　and　walked　across　a　large　grassy　field；　where　a　few　adults　were　playing　softball。　Sitting　down　at　a　remote　picnic　table；　he　handed　Mike　and　me　the　ice…cream　bars。
〃How's　it　going　boys？〃
〃OK；〃　Mike　said。
I　nodded　in　agreement。
〃Learn　anything　yet？〃　rich　dad　asked。
Mike　and　I　looked　at　each　other；　shrugged　our　shoulders　and　shook　our　heads　in　unison。

Avoiding　One　of　Life's　Biggest　Traps

〃Well；　you　boys　had　better　start　thinking。　You're　staring　at　one　of　life's　biggest　lessons。　If　you　learn　the　lesson；　you'll　enjoy　a　life　of　great　freedom　and　security。　If　you　don't　learn　the　lesson；　you'll　wind　up　like　Mrs。　Martin　and　most　of　the　people　playing　softball　in　this　park。　They　work　very　hard；　for　little　money；　clinging　to　the　illusion　of　job　security；　looking　forward　to　a　three…week　vacation　each　year　and　a　skimpy　pension　after　forty…five　years　of　work。　If　that　excites　you；　I'll　give　you　a　raise　to　25　cents　an　hour。〃
〃But　these　are　good　hard…working　people。　Are　you　making　fun　of　them？〃　I　demanded。
A　smile　came　over　rich　dad's　face。
〃Mrs。　Martin　is　like　a　mother　to　me。　I　would　never　be　that　cruel。　I　may　sound　cruel　because　I'm　doing　my　best　to　point　something　out　to　the　two　of　you。　I　want　to　expand　your　point　of　view　so　you　can　see　something。　Something　most　people　never　have　the　benefit　of　seeing　because　their　vision　is　too　narrow。　Most　people　never　see　the　trap　they　are　in。〃
Mike　and　I　sat　there　uncertain　of　his　message。　He　sounded　cruel；　yet　we　could　sense　he　was　desperately　wanting　us　to　know　something。
With　a　smile；　rich　dad　said；　〃Doesn't　that　25　cents　an　hour　sound　good？　Doesn't　it　make　your　heart　beat　a　little　faster。〃
I　shook　my　head　〃no；〃　but　it　really　did。　Twenty　five　cents　an　hour　would　be　big　bucks　to　me。
〃OK；　I'll　pay　you　a　dollar　an　hour；〃　rich　dad　said；　with　a　sly　grin。
Now　my　heart　was　beginning　to　race。　My　brain　was　screaming；
An
〃Take　it。　Take　it。〃　I　could　not　believe　what　I　was　hearing。　Still；　I　said　nothing。
〃OK；　2　an　hour。〃
My　little　9…year…old　brain　and　heart　nearly　exploded。　After　all；　it　was　1956　and　being　paid　2　an　hour　would　have　made　me　the　richest　kid　in　the　world。　I　couldn't　imagine　earning　that　kind　of　money。　I　wanted　to　say　〃yes。〃　I　wanted　the　deal。　I　could　see　a　new　bicycle；　new　baseball　glove；　and　adoration　of　my　friends　when　I　flashed　some　cash。　On　top　of　that；　Jimmy　and　his　rich　friends　could　never　call　me　poor　again。　But　somehow　my　mouth　stayed　silent。
Maybe　my　brain　had　overheated　and　blown　a　fuse。　But　deep　down；　I　badly　wanted　that　2　an　hour。
The　ice　cream　had　melted　and　was　running　down　my　hand。　The　ice…cream　stick　was　empty；　and　under　it　was　a　sticky　mess　of　vanilla　and　chocolate　that　ants　were　enjoying。　Rich　dad　was　looking　at　two　boys　staring　back　at　him；　eyes　wide　open　and　brains　empty。　He　knew　he　was　testing　us；　and　he　knew　there　was　a　part　of　our　emotions　that　wanted　to　take　the　deal。　He　knew　that　each　human　being　has　a　weak　and　needy　part　of　their　soul　that　can　be　bought。　And　he　knew　that　each　human　being　also　had　a　part　of　their　soul　that　was　strong　and　filled　with　a　resolve　that　could　never　be　bought。　It　was　only　a　question　of　which　one　was　stronger。　He　had　tested　thousands　of　souls　in　his　life。　He　tested　souls　every　time　he　interviewed　someone　for　a　job。
〃OK；　5　an　hour。〃
Suddenly　there　was　a　silence　from　inside　me。　Something　had　changed。　The　offer　was　too　big　and　had　gotten　ridiculous。　Not　too　many　grownups　in　1956　made　more　than　5　an　hour。　The　temptation　disappeared；　and　a　calm　set　in。　Slowly　I　turned　to　my　left　to　look　at　Mike。　He　looked　back　at