第9部分 (第4/8页)

；　but　over　the　years　it　made　more　and　more　sense。

Seeing　What　Others　Miss

As　he　climbed　into　his　pickup　truck；　outside　of　his　little　convenience　store；　he　said；　〃Keep　working　boys；　but　the　sooner　you　forget　about　needing　a　paycheck；　the　easier　your　adult　life　will　be。　Keep　using　your　brain；　work　for　free；　and　soon　your　mind　will　show　you　ways　of　making　money　far　beyond　what　I　could　ever　pay　you。　You　will　see　things　that　other　people　never　see。　Opportunities　right　in　front　of　their　noses。　Most　people　never　see　these　opportunities　because　they're　looking　for　money　and　security；　so　that's　all　they　get。　The　moment　you　see　one　opportunity；　you　will　see　them　for　the　rest　of　your　life。　The　moment　you　do　that；　I'll　teach　you　something　else。　Learn　this；　and　you'll　avoid　one　of　life's　biggest　traps。　You'll　never；　ever；　touch　that　Tar　Baby。〃

Mike　and　I　picked　up　our　things　from　the　store　and　waved　goodbye　to　Mrs。　Martin。　We　went　back　to　the　park；　to　the　same　picnic　bench；　and　spent　several　more　hours　thinking　and　talking。

We　spent　the　next　week　at　school；　thinking　and　talking。　For　two　more　weeks；　we　kept　thinking；　talking；　and　working　for　free。

At　the　end　of　the　second　Saturday；　I　was　again　saying　goodbye　to　Mrs。　Martin　and　looking　at　the　ic…book　stand　with　a　longing　gaze。　The　hard　thing　about　not　even　getting　30　cents　every　Saturday　was　that　I　didn't　have　any　money　to　buy　ic　books。　Suddenly；　as　Mrs。　Martin　was　saying　goodbye　to　Mike　and　me；　I　saw　some