科布
A.W.Cobb
AsfarbackasIcanremember，thelargeicklejarsatonthefloorbesidethedresserinmyarentsbedrooWhenhegotreadyforbed，Dadwouldemtyhisocketsandtosshiscoinsintothejar.AsasmallboyIwasalwaysfascinatedatthesoundsthecoinsmadeastheyweredroedintothejar.Theylandedwithamerryjinglewhenthejarwasalmostemty.Thenthetonesgraduallymutedtoadullthudasthejarwasfilled.Iusedtosquatonthefloorinfrontofthejarandadmirethecoerandsilvercirclesthatglintedlikeairatestreasurewhenthesunouredthroughthebedroomwindow.
Whenthejarwasfilled，Dadwouldsitatthekitchentableandrollthecoinsbeforetakingthemtothebank.Takingthecoinstothebankwasalwaysabigroduction.Stackedneatlyinasmallcardboardbox，thecoinswerelacedbetweenDadandmeontheseatofhisoldtruck.Eachandeverytime，aswedrovetothebank，Dadwouldlookatmehoefully.“Thosecoinsaregoingtokeeyououtofthetextilemill，son.Youregoingtodobetterthanme.Thisoldmilltownsnotgoingtoholdyouback.”
Also，eachandeverytime，asheslidtheboxofrolledcoinsacrossthecounteratthebanktowardthecashier，hewouldgrinroudly.“Theseareformysonscollegefund.Hellneverworkatthemillallhislifelikeme.”
Wewouldalwayscelebrateeachdeositbystoingforanicecreamcone.Ialwaysgotchocolate.Dadalwaysgotvanilla.WhentheclerkattheicecreamarlorhandedDadhischange，hewouldshowmethefewcoinsnestledinhisal“Whenwegethome，wellstartfillingthejaragain.”
Healwaysletmedrothefirstcoinsintotheemtyjar.Astheyrattledaroundwithabrief，hayjingle，wegrinnedateachother.“Youllgettocollegeonennies，nickels，dimesandquarters，”
hesaid.“Butyoullgetthere.Illseetothat.”
Theyearsassed，andIfinishedcollegeandtookajobinanothertown.Once，whilevisitingmyarents，Iusedthehoneintheirbedroom，andnoticedthattheicklejarwasgone.Ithadserveditsuroseandhadbeenremoved.AlumroseinmythroatasIstaredatthesotbesidethedresserwherethejarhadalwaysstood.Mydadwasamanoffewwords，andneverlecturedmeonthevaluesofdetermination，erseverance，andfaith.Theicklejarhadtaughtmeallthesevirtuesfarmoreeloquentlythanthemostfloweryofwordscouldhavedone.
WhenImarried，ItoldmywifeSusanaboutthesignificantartthelowlyicklejarhadlayedinmylifeasaboy.Inmymind，itdefined，morethananythingelse，howmuchmydadhadlovedme.Nomatterhowroughthingsgotathome，Dadcontinuedtodoggedlydrohiscoinsintothejar.EventhesummerwhenDadgotlaidofffromthemill，andMamahadtoservedriedbeansseveraltimesaweek，notasingledimewastakenfromthejar.Onthecontrary，asDadlookedacrossthetableatme，ouringcatsuovermybeanstomakethemmorealatable，hebecamemoredeterminedthanevertomakeawayoutforme.“Whenyoufinishcollege，son，”
hetoldme，hiseyesglistening，“youllneverhavetoeatbeansagainunlessyouwantto.”
ThefirstChristmasafterourdaughterJessicawasborn，wesenttheholidaywithmyarents.Afterdinner，MomandDadsatnexttoeachotheronthesofa，takingturnscuddlingtheirfirstgrandchild.Jessicabegantowhimersoftly，andSusantookherfromDadsarms.“Sherobablyneedstobechanged.”
shesaid，carryingthebabyintomyarentsbedroomtodiaerher.
WhenSusancamebackintothelivingroom，therewasastrangemistinhereyes.ShehandedJessicabacktoDadbeforetakingmyhandandquietlyleadingmeintotheroo
“Look.”
shesaidsoftly，hereyesdirectingmetoasotonthefloorbesidethedresser.Tomyamazement，there，asifithadneverbeenremoved，stoodtheoldicklejar，thebottomalreadycoveredwithcoins.Iwalkedovertotheicklejar，dugdownintomyocket，andulledoutafistfulofcoins.Withagamutofemotionschokingme，Idroedthecoinsintothejar.IlookeduandsawthatDad，carryingJessica，hadsliedquietlyintotherooOureyeslocked，andIknewhewasfeelingthesameemotionsIfelt.Neitheroneofuscouldseak.
自从我记事起，那个大腌菜罐就在父母卧室梳妆台旁的地板上放着。
每晚，爸爸上床睡觉前，都要把口袋里的硬币全掏出来，扔进罐子里。
小时候，我很喜欢听硬币扔进罐子时所发出的声响。
罐子快要空的时候，硬币投进去发出轻快的叮当声。
罐子快要装满时，叮当声便慢慢地变成了沉闷的砰砰声。
太阳从卧室的窗子射进来时，照在罐子里的硬币上，它们就如海盗劫掠去的珍宝一般熠熠闪光。
每到这时，我就会蹲下身来欣赏这些亮晶晶的硬币。
罐子满后，爸爸便坐在餐桌旁，用纸把硬币卷起来，然后存到银行去。
把硬币拿到银行存并不是件容易的事。
通常，我们是开着爸爸那辆旧卡车去。
把硬币齐刷刷地堆进一个小硬纸盒里，放在我和爸爸的座位之间。
每次，我们开车去银行时，爸爸都充满希望地看着我：“那些钱将会使你离开纺织厂，儿子。
你会生活得比我好。
这个古老的工业小镇不会再拖你的后腿，你就可以自由发展了。”
他每次在银行的柜台前，把那成卷的硬币推给出纳员时，总是咧着嘴骄傲地笑个不停：“这些钱是准备供我儿子上大学的。
（第1页）
请关闭浏览器阅读模式后查看本章节，否则将出现无法翻页或章节内容丢失等现象。