jg.paintedhouse-第56章

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ght。　I　could　not　always　hear　what　they　were　saying　or　bickering　about；　but　it　seemed　as　though　each　new　skirmish　was　caused　by　something　Hank　had　said　or　done。　They　were　tired；　he　was　not。　They　woke　before　sunrise　and　spent　at　least　ten　hours　in　the　fields；　he　slept　as　late　as　he　wanted；　then　picked　cotton　at　a　languid　pace。
　　　And　evidently　he　was　roaming　at　night　again。　Miguel　was　waiting　by　the　back　steps　when　my　father　and　I　opened　the　kitchen　door　on　our　way　to　gather　eggs　and　milk　for　breakfast。　He　pleaded　for　help。　The　shelling　had　resumed；　someone　had　bombed　the　barn　with　heavy　clods　of　dirt　until　after　midnight。　The　Mexicans　were　exhausted　and　angry；　and　there　was　about　to　be　a　fight　of　some　variety。
　　　This　was　our　sole　topic　of　conversation　over　breakfast；　and　Pappy　was　so　angry　he　could　barely　eat。　It　was　decided　that　Hank　had　to　go；　and　if　the　rest　of　the　Spruills　left　with　him；　then　we'd　somehow　manage。　Ten　well…rested　and　hardworking　Mexicans　were　far　more　valuable　than　the　Spruills。
　　　Pappy　started　to　leave　the　table　and　go　straight　to　the　front　yard　with　his　ultimatum；　but　my　father　calmed　him。　They　decided　that　we　would　wait　until　quitting　time；　thereby　getting　a　full　day　of　labor　out　of　the　Spruills。　Plus　they'd　be　less　likely　to　break　camp　with　darkness　upon　them。
　　　I　just　listened。　I　wanted　to　jump　in　and　describe　my　conversation　with　Tally；　especially　the　part　about　her　family　needing　the　money。　In　my　opinion；　they　wouldn't　leave　at　all；　but　would　be　delighted　to　get　rid　of　Hank。　My　opinions；　however；　were　never　wele　during　these　tense　family　discussions。　I　chewed　my　biscuit　and　hung　on　every　word。
　　　〃What　about　Stick？〃　Gran　asked。
　　　〃What　about　him？〃　Pappy　fired　in　her　direction。
　　　〃You　were　gonna　tell　Stick　when　you　were　finished　with　Hank。〃
　　　Pappy　took　a　bite　of　ham　and　thought　about　this。
　　　Gran　was　a　step　ahead；　but　then　she　had　the　advantage　of　thinking　without　being　angry。　She　sipped　her　coffee　and　said；　〃Seems　to　me　the　thing　to　do　is　tell　Mr。　Spruill　that　Stick　is　in'　after　Hank。　Let　the　boy　sneak　away　at　night。　He'll　be　gone；　that's　all　that　matters；　and　the　Spruills'll　be　thankful　you　kept　him　from　gettin'　arrested。〃
　　　Gran's　plan　made　perfect　sense。　My　mother　managed　a　slight　grin。　Once　again　the　women　had　analyzed　a　situation　more　quickly　than　the　men。
　　　Pappy　didn't　say　another　word。　My　father　quickly　finished　eating　and　went　outside。　The　sun　was　barely　above　the　distant　trees；　yet　the　day　was　already　eventful。
　　　
　　　After　lunch　Pappy　said　abruptly；　〃Luke；　we're　goin'　to　town。　The　trailer's　full。〃
　　　The　trailer　wasn't　pletely　full；　and　we　never　took　it　to　the　gin　in　the　middle　of　the　day。　But　I　wasn't　about　to　object。　Something　was　up。
　　　There　were　only　four　trailers　ahead　of　us　when　we　arrived　at　the　gin。　Usually；　at　this　time　of　the　harvest；　there　would　be　at　least　ten；　but　then　we　always　came　after　supper；　when　the　place　was　crawling　with　farmhands。　〃Noon's　a　good　time　to　gin；〃　Pappy　said。
　　　He　left　the　keys　in　the　truck；　and　as　we　were　walking　away　he　said；　〃I　need　to　go　to　the　Co…op。　Let's　head　to　Main　Street。〃　Sounded　good　to　me。
　　　The　town　of　Black　Oak　had　three　hundred　people；　and　virtually　all　of　them　lived　within　five　minutes　of　Main　Street。　I　often　thought　how　wonderful　it　would　be　to　have　a　neat　little　house　on　a　shady　street；　just　a　stone's　throw　from　Pop　and　Pearl's　and　the　Dixie　theater；　with　no　cotton　anywhere　in　sight。
　　　Halfway　to　Main；　we　took　an　abrupt　turn。　〃Pearl　wants　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　pointing　at　the　Watsons'　house　just　to　our　right。　I'd　never　been　in　Pop　and　Pearl's　house；　never　had　any　reason　to　enter；　but　I'd　seen　it　from　the　outside。　It　was　one　of　the　few　houses　in　town　with　some　bricks　on　it。
　　　〃What？〃　I　asked；　pletely　bewildered。
　　　He　said　nothing；　and　I　just　followed。
　　　Pearl　was　waiting　at　the　door。　When　we　entered　I　could　smell　the　rich；　sweet　aroma　of　something　baking；　though　I　was　too　confused　to　realize　she　was　preparing　a　treat　for　me。　She　gave　me　a　pat　on　the　head　and　winked　at　Pappy。　In　one　corner　of　the　room；　Pop　was　bent　at　the　waist；　his　back　to　us；　fiddling　with　something。　〃e　here；　Luke；〃　he　said；　without　turning　around。
　　　I'd　heard　that　they　owned　a　television。　The　first　one　in　our　county　had　been　purchased　a　year　earlier　by　Mr。　Harvey　Gleeson；　the　owner　of　the　bank；　but　he　was　a　recluse；　and　no　one　had　yet　seen　his　television；　as　far　as　we　knew。　Several　church　members　had　kinfolks　in　Jonesboro　who　owned　televisions；　and　whenever　they　went　there　to　visit　they　came　back　and　talked　nonstop　about　this　wonderful　new　invention。　Dewayne　had　seen　one　inside　a　store　window　in　Blytheville；　and　he'd　strutted　around　school　for　an　insufferable　period　of　time。
　　　〃Sit　here；〃　Pop　said；　pointing　to　a　spot　on　the　floor；　right　in　front　of　the　set。　He　was　still　adjusting　knobs。　〃It's　the　World　Series；〃　he　said。　〃Game　three；　Dodgers　at　Yankee　Stadium。〃
　　　My　heart　froze；　my　mouth　dropped　open。　I　was　too　stunned　to　move。　Three　feet　away　was　a　small　screen　with　lines　dancing　across　it。　It　was　in　the　center　of　a　dark；　wooden　cabinet　with　the　word　Motorola　scripted　in　chrome　just　under　a　row　of　knobs。　Pop　turned　one　of　the　knobs；　and　suddenly　we　heard　the　scratchy　voice　of　an　announcer　describing　a　ground　ball　to　the　shortstop。　Then　Pop　turned　two　knobs　at　once；　and　the　picture　became　clear。
　　　It　was　a　baseball　game。　Live　from　Yankee　Stadium；　and　we　were　watching　it　in　Black　Oak；　Arkansas！
　　　Chairs　moved　behind　me；　and　I　could　feel　Pappy　inching　closer。　Pearl　wasn't　much　of　a　fan。　She　busied　herself　in　the　kitchen　for　a　few　minutes；　then　emerged　with　a　plate　of　chocolate　cookies　and　a　glass　of　milk。　I　took　them　and　thanked　her。　They　were　fresh　from　the　oven　and　smelled　delicious。　But　I　couldn't　eat；　not　right　then。
　　　Ed　Lopat　was　pitching　for　the　Yankees；　Preacher　Roe　for　the　Dodgers。　Mickey　Mantle；　Yogi　Berra；　Phil　Rizzuto；　Hank　Bauer；　Billy　Martin　with　the　Yankees；　and　Pee　Wee　Reese；　Duke　Snider；　Roy　Campanella；　Jackie　Robinson；　and　Gil　Hodges　with　the　Dodgers。　They　were　all　there　in　Pop　and　Pearl's　living　room；　playing　before　sixty　thousand　fans　in　Yankee　Stadium。　I　was　mesmerized　to　the　point　of　being　mute。　I　simply　stared　at　the　television；　watching　but　not　believing。
　　　〃Eat　the　cookies；　Luke；〃　Pearl　said　as　she　passed　through　the　room。　It　was　more　of　a　mand　than　an　invitation；　and　I　took　a　bite　of　one。
　　　〃Who　are　you　pullin'　for？〃　asked　Pop。
　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　mumbled；　and　I　really　didn't。　I　had　been　taught　to　hate　both　teams。　And　it　had　been　easy　hating　them　when　they　were　away　in　New　York；　in　another　world。　But　now　they　were　in　Black　Oak；　playing　the　game　I　loved；　live　from　Yankee　Stadium。　My　hatred　vanished。　〃Dodgers；　I　guess；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Always　pull　for　the　National　League；〃　Pappy　said　behind　me。
　　　〃I　suppose；〃　Pop　said　reluctantly。　〃But　it's　mighty　hard　to　pull　for　the　Dodgers。〃
　　　The　game　was　broadcast　into　our　world　by　Channel　5　out　of　Memphis；　an　affiliate　of　the　National　Broadcasting　pany；　whatever　that　meant。　There　were　mercials　for　Lucky　Strike　cigarettes；　Cadillac；　Coca…Cola；　and　Texaco。　Between　innings　the　game　would　vanish　and　there　would　be　a　mercial；　and　when　it　was　over；　the　screen　would　change　again；　and　we'd　be　back　inside　Yankee　Stadium。　It　was　a　dizzying　experience；　one　that　captivated　me　pletely。　For　an　hour　I　was　transported　to　another　world。
　　　Pappy　had　business　and　at　some　point　left　the　house　and　walked　to　Main　Street。　I　did　not　hear　him　leave；　but　during　a　mercial　I　realized　he　was　gone。
　　　Yogi　Berra　hit　a　home　run；　and　as　I　watched　him　circle　the　bases　in　front　of　sixty　thousand　fanatics；　I　knew　I　would　never　again　be　able　to　properly　hate　the　Yankees。　They　were　legends；　the　greatest　players　on　the　greatest　team　the　game　had　known。　I　softened　up　considerably　but　vowed　to　keep　my　new　feelings　to　myself。　Pappy　would　not　allow　Yankee　sympathizers　in　his　house。
　　　In　the　top　of　the　ninth；　Berra　let　a　pitch　get　past　him。　The　Dodgers　scored　two　runs　and　won　the　game。　Pearl　wrapped　the　cookies　in　foil　and　sent　them　with　me。　I　thanked　Pop　for　allowing　me　to　share　this　unbelievable　adventure；　and　I　asked　him　if　I　could　e　back　when　the　Cardinals　were　playing。
　　　〃Sure；〃　he　said；　〃but