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第16章 田间之旅Field Trip2（第1页）

第16章田间之旅FieldTrip（2）

Sheknele，moreaboutbaseballanditshistorythanmyfatherdidandwasalwaysreadytuethemeritsofPeeWeeReese（herfavainstChicoCarrasquel（miheoneMrs。Knappiwillalwaysremainengravedinmymemorydidschool，however。Ithappenedoedtryroadthatdivided-fieldsoernoodayofthat，myfirstfullfledgedschoolyear。Tocelebratethebeautifulweather，she’dtakenusorip，literally，throughthebrightyellowandgreenofdwheatstalksthatweretallerthanIwas（andthaoo）butstilltwoorthreemonthsshyoftheirharvest。

Wewandered，aslargegroupsofarewonttodo，oureyesgwithfasandbirdandleaf，everyoneofwhifailingly，Mrs。Kiorekkedaloraffickedgravelanddirtroadsthathadbeewideenoughfortractlecartotravel。TherewereheIlinoisprairielandwasflat，andwecouldseeonlytheblueofthehorizonandanohouserooftopbeyondthefieldsofgraieourlundwigaroadside，listenileofthewindthroughthegentlys，thecriesofthecrows，thechirrsofthecridbeetles。Afterlunchwewalkedmore。Now，though，thetriphadbeerepetitious—morefields，moreorebirddI，lyamongothers，wasbepatiehappeheabsolutemiddlehtoutofwhat，someyearslater，IwouldthinkofasTheTwilightZoephenKihesidele-laneroadhundredsofyardsfromanythingthatresembledcivilization，stoodaand。Nothingfancy，justawoodentersixhtfeetwide，fivefeethigh，twofeetdeep，withpolessuppawoodsheetthatservedassuhegrizzled，butsmiling，middle-agedmanwhostoodbehindit。

Thewords“IceCream—10Flavors”romihefront。ThemanandMrs。Kedeachotherasoldfrieousandsaideachofuscouldhaveanicee，anyflavorwewished，hertreat。Ourenthusiasmwas，naturally，boundless，aeoverwhethertosticktotheksofchocolateorvanillaorwhethertoexperimentwiththeexoticRockyRoadedamongus。Butweeachsettledohing，andthemanscestowaffledha。WesavoredahenheaskedMrs。Knapp，“Whatwouldyoulike?”Iliketothiwinkleinhiseyesashedidandthatwhatfollowedwasaritualbetweehoughthefewkidswho’dattendedMrs。Knapp’syearsbeforehadhestahoughtfully，

thensaid，“IthinkI’llhaveaeofeach。”Hedidn’tbataofeaflavors?Inoners。Knapp，thisassmallerthaofherstudents，wasgoien-scoopicee?Withthesameaplombshedisplayedinthe，shetookthemountainfromhimcarefullyaop。Shesaidsomethinglike“Mmm”andsmiled。

Ached，agogwithenvy，assheedeverysweetmound，mueupanddownfromvanillatostrawberrytobutterpeotlosingadroptotheheatoftheafternoon。Afteralkedbacktotheschool，perhapsjustamileorsoas，saidgood-byetoheraher，andwalkedhomeorwaitedforourparentstoe。Ofcourse，Itoldmyparentsabouttheevent，and，ofcourse，theysmiled。WedrovepasttheschoolthefolloasmerandMrs。Knappwasoffsomewhere，withMr。Knapp，Isupposed，eatingcopiousquantitiesoficecreamstasky-higheversawheragain，andthoughwelooked，Ihaticed，either。Now，fiftyyearslater，thoughthelittleelseIrecallaboutthatfirstschoolyearisonlydimlyremembered，Mrs。Knappaen-scoopiceainsoneofmyclearestories。Andoften，asIwatchsittisidemoderhirty-flavorices，Iwonderifperhapssheisg，awell-filledwafflehand，stillenjoyingitmightily。