第23部分（第1页）

Danny；　prepared　by　four　years　of　〃Sesame　Street〃　and　three　years　of　〃Electric

pany；〃　seemed　to　be　catching　on　with　almost　scary　speed。　It　bothered　her。　He

hunched　over　the　innocuous　little　books；　his　crystal　radio　and　balsa　glider　on

the　shelf　above　him；　as　though　his　life　depended　on　learning　to　read。　His　small

face　was　more　tense　and　paler　than　she　liked　in　the　close　and　cozy　glow　of　the

goosenecked　lamp　they　had　put　in　his　room。　He　was　taking　it　very　seriously；　both

the　reading　and　the　workbook　pages　his　father　made　up　for　him　every　afternoon。

Picture　of　an　apple　and　a　peach。　The　word　apple　written　beneath　in　Jacks　large；

neatly　made　printing。　Circle　the　right　picture；　the　one　that　went　with　the　word。

And　their　son　would　stare　from　the　word　to　the　pictures；　his　lips　moving；

sounding　out；　actually　sweating　it　out；　And　with　his　double…sized　red　pencil

curled　into　his　pudgy　right　fist；　he　could　now　write　about　three　dozen　words　on

his　own。

His　finger　traced　slowly　under　the　words　in　the　reader。　Above　them　was　a

picture　Wendy　half…remembered　from　her　own　grammar　school　days；　nineteen　years

before。　A　laughing　boy　with　brown　curly　hair。　A　girl　in　a　short　dress；　her　hair

in　blond　ringlets　one　hand　holding　a　jump　rope。　A　prancing　dog　running　after　a

large　red　rubber　ball。　The　first…grade　trinity。　Dick；　Jane；　and　Jip。

〃See　Jip　run；〃　Danny　read　slowly。　〃Run；　Jip；　run。　Run；　run；　run。〃　He　paused；

dropping　his　finger　down　a　line。　〃See　the　。。。〃　He　bent　closer；　his　nose　almost

touching　the　page　now。　〃See　the　。。。〃

〃Not　so　close；　doc；〃　Wendy　said　quietly。　〃Youll　hurt　your　eyes。　Its…〃

〃Dont　tell　me！〃　he　said；　sitting　up　with　a　jerk。　His　voice　was　alarmed。

〃Dont　tell　me；　Mommy；　I　can　get　it！〃

〃All　right；　honey；〃　she　said。　〃But　its　not　a　big　thing。　Really　its　not。〃

Unheeding；　Danny　bent　forward　again。　On　his　face　was　an　expression　that　might

be　more　monly　seen　hovering　over　a　graduate　record　exam　in　a　college　gym

somewhere。　She　liked　it　less　and　less。

〃See　the　。。。　buh。　Aw。　El。　El。　See　the　buhaw…el…el？　See　the　buhawl。　Ball！〃

Suddenly　triumphant。　Fierce。　The　fierceness　in　his　voice　scared　her。　〃See　the

ball！〃

〃Thats　right；〃　she　said。　〃Honey；　I　think　thats　enough　for　tonight。〃

〃A　couple　more　pages；　Mommy？　Please？〃

〃No；　doc。〃　She　closed　the　red…bound　book　firmly。　〃Its　bedtime。〃

〃Please？〃

〃Dont　tease　me　about　it；　Danny。　Mommys　tired。〃