第4部分 (第2/8页)

paper。　I　stood　waiting　for　an　answer。

The　year　was　1956。　I　was　9　years　old。　By　some　twist　of　fate；　I　attended　the　same　public　school　where　the　rich　people　sent　their　kids。　We　were　primarily　a　sugar　plantation　town。　The　managers　of　the　plantation　and　the　other　affluent　people　of　the　town；　such　as　doctors；　business　owners；　and　bankers；　sent　their　children　to　this　school；　grades　1　to　6。　After　grade　6；　their　children　were　generally　sent　off　to　private　schools。　Because　my　family　lived　on　one　side　of　the　street；　I　went　to　this　school。　Had　I　lived　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　I　would　have　gone　to　a　different　school；　with　kids　from　families　more　like　mine。　After　grade　6；these　kids　and　I　would　go　on　to　the　public　intermediate　and　high　school。　There　was　no　private　school　for　them　or　for　me。

My　dad　finally　put　down　the　paper。　I　could　tell　he　was　thinking。

〃Well；　son；〃　he　began　slowly。　〃If　you　want　to　be　rich；　you　have　to　learn　to　make　money。〃

〃How　do　I　make　money？〃　I　asked。

〃Well；　use　your　head；　son；〃　he　said；　smiling。　Which　really　meant；　〃That's　all　I'm　going　to　tell　you；〃　or　〃I　don't　know　the　answer；　so　don't　embarrass　me。〃

A　Partnership　Is　Formed

The　next　morning；　I　told　my　best　friend；　Mike；　what　my　dad　had　said。　As　best　I　could　tell；　Mike　and　I　were　the　only　poor　kids　in　this　school。　Mike　was　like　me　in　that　he　was　in　this　school　by　a　twist　of　fate。　Someone　had　drawn　a　jog　in　the　line　for　the　school　district；　and　we　wound　up　in　s