Belief

  AgroupofseniorcitizensonabenWashingtonSquareParkinNewYorkCity.Thereweretwofemaleseniorcitizensandtwomaleseniorcitizens.

  "Rabbit,rabbit,rabbit,rabbit,"ohewomensaidsuddenly.Sheturnedherheadtoeachofthefourersofanimaginaryroomasshedidso.

  Theotherseniorcitizensstaredather.

  "Whydidyoudothat?"ohemenasked.

  "Itsthefirstofthemonth.Ifyousayrabbitfourtimes,ooeacheroftheroom,orthespacethatyouarein,onthefirstofthemonthbeforeyoueatlunch,thenyouwillbelovedinthatmonth."

  Someangryblackpeoplewalkedbycarryingsteel-bandinstrumentsandbunchesofflowers.

  "Idontthinkthatstrue,"thesedwomanseniorcitizensaid."IneverhearditbeforeandIveheardeverything."

  "Ithinkitsprobablyjustanoldwivestale,"ohemensaid.Theothermaleseniorcitizencrackedup.

  "Shallwedisen?"thefirstwomahesedwoman.

  Thetwomenlookedattheskytomakesureallofourtryssatelliteswereintherightplaces.

  "Whataboutyhterthenun?"thesedwoman,whosenamewasElise,askedthefirst,whosenamewasKate."Youhaventheardfromher?"

  "Mydaughterthenun,"Katesaid,"youwouldntbelieve."

  "Whereisshe?"Eliseasked."Geiaorsomewhere,youtoldmebutIfot.Goingtoschoolyousaid."

  "Shesgettinghermasters,"Katesaid,"theysendthem.ShesaramblingwreGeiaTech.IwasgoingdowntovisitatThanksgiving."

  "Butyoudidnt."

  "IcalledherandsaidIwasingandshesaidbutThanksgivingDayisthegame.SoIsaidthegame,thegame,O.K.Illgotothegame,Idontmindgoingtothegame,getmeaticket.AndshesaidbutMotherImintheflashcardseydaughterthenun."

  "Theyredifferentnow,"Elisesaid,"youreluckyshesnotkeepingpanywithohosepriestswithhishairinapigtail."

  "Whotell?"saidKate."Idbethelasttoknow."

  Ohemenleanedaroundhispartnerandasked:"Well,isitw?Areyouloved?"

  "Therewasahingweusedtodo,"Katesaidcalmly."Youandyirlfriendeachwrotethehreeboysonthreeslipsofpaper,onthefirstdayofthemonth.Thehreeboysyouwaoaskyoutogooutwiththem.Thenyirlfriehethreeslipsofpaperinhercuppedhandsandyouclosedyoureyesandpicked--"

  "Idontbelieveit,"saidthesealeseniorcitizen,whosenamewasJerome.

  "Youclosedyoureyesandpickedoneandputitinyourshoe.Andyoudidthesameforher.Ahatboywouldearound.Italwaysworked.Invariably."

  "Idontbelieveit,"Jeromesaidagain."Idontbelieveinthingslikethatandneverhave.IdontbelieveinmagidIdontbelieveiition.IdontbelieveinJudaism,Christianity,orEasternthought.Noneofem.IdidntbelieveintheFirstWorldWareventhoughIwasachildintheFirstWorldWarandyoullgoalongwaybeforeyoufindsomebodywhodidntbelieveintheFirstWorldWar.Thatwasaverypopularwar,whereIlived.IdidntbelieveintheSedWorldWareitherandIwasinit."

  "Howcouldyoubeinitifyoudidntbelieveinit?"Eliseasked.

  "Myviewswerenotsulted,"Jeromesaid."Theydidntaskme,theytoldme.ButIstillhadmyinnerbelief,whichwasthatIdidntbelieveinit.IwasintheMPs.Irosethroughtheranks.Irovostmarshal,attheend.IonceshookdowirebattalionofSeabees,sixhundredmen."

  "Whatisshookdown?"

  "Thatswhenyouandyourpeopleghtheirfootlockersandseabagsandpersonalbelongingslookingforstufftheyshouldnthave."

  "Whatshouldnttheyhave?"

  "Blackmarketstuff.Booze.Dope.Goverproperty.Unauthorizedons."Hepaused."WhatelsedidntIbelievein?IdidntbelieveiombombbutIwaswrongaboutthat.Theunions."

  "Youwerewrongaboutthattoo,"saidtheotherman,Frank."IwasalinotypeoperatorwhenIwaseenandIwasalinotypeoperatoruntilIwassixtyaellyou,mister,ifwehadnthadtheunionallwewouldhavegotwasnickelsanddimes.Nickelsanddimes.Period.SodontsayanythingagainstthetradeuniowhileImsittinghere,becauseIknowwhatImtalkingabout.Youdont."

  "IdidntbelieveintheunionsandIdidntbelieveinthegoverwhetherRepubliocrat,"Jeromesaid."AndIdidntbelievein--"

  "TheI.T.U.issideredaverygoodunion,"Elisesaid."Iowithamani.U.Heosing-roomforemanandhisnamewasHarryForeman,thatwasadhemadeverygoodmoney.WewenttoLuchowsalot.HelikedGermanfood."

  "Didyoubelieveiernationalunistspiracy?"FrankaskedJerome.

  "Nope."

  "Youtread,"Franksaid,"youreblind."

  "Maybe."

  "Ihaventdecidedaboutwhetherthereisaionalunistspiracy,"Elisesaid."Imstillthinkingaboutit."

  "Whatstothinkabout?"Frankasked."TherewasCzechoslovakia.Czechoslovakiasaysitall."

  Somestreetpeoplewalkedpastthegroupofseniorcitizensbutdecidedthattheseniorcitizeworthaskingforsmallge.Thedecisionlainontheirfaces.

  "WhenIwasagirl,alittlegirl,Ihadtogointomyfathersbartogetthebutter,"Katesaid."MyfatherhadabarinBrooklyn.Theiceboxwasinthebar.Theonlyiymothersentmedownstairstogetthebutter.AllthementurnedandlookedatmeasIehebar."

  "Butyourfatherboufrombehindthebarandgotyouthebuttermeanwhilelookingsternlyatalltheotherpeopleiokeepthemfromlookingatyou,"Elisesuggested.

  "No,"Katesaid."Hewasonhisassmostofthetime.Whattheysayaboutbartendersnotdrinkingisnottrue."

  "AlsoIdidntbelieveiedNationsandbeforethatIdidntbelieveintheLeagueofNations,"Jeromesaid."Furthermore,"hesaid,givingKateameaningfulglance,"Ididntbelievewomenshouldbegivee."

  KategazedatJeromescoat,whichwasold,athisshirt,old,thenathispants,whichwerequiteold,andathisshoes,whichwerenew.

  "Doyouhaveprostatetrouble?"sheasked.

  "Yes,"Jeromesaid,withastartledlook."Ofcourse.Why?"

  "Good,"Katesaid."Idontbelieveinprostatetrouble.Idontbelievethereissuchathingasaprostate."

  Shegavehimagenerousandlovingsmile.

  "Youmeantotellmethatifyouputthepieceofpaperwiththeboysinyourshoeonthefirstdayofthemonthheinvariablycamearound?"EliseaskedKate.

  "Invariably,"Katesaid."Withoutfail.Workedeverytime."

  "Goddamn,"Elisesaid."WishIdknownthat."

  "TherewasohingIbelieved,"Jeromesaid.

  "What?"

  "Itsreligious."

  "Whatisit?"

  "Mypaltherabbitoldme,hesdeadnow;HesaiditwasaHasidicwriting."

  "So?"saidElise."So,so,so?"

  "Itisforbiddentogrowold."

  Theoldpeoplethoughtaboutthisforawhile,onthebench.

  "Itsgood,"Katesaid."Icoulddowithouttheirony."

  "Metoo,"Elisesaid."Icoulddowithouttheirony."

  "Maybeitsnotsogood?"Jeromeasked."Whatdoyouthink?"

  "No,"Katesaid."Itsgood."Shegazedaboutheratthenewlifesproutinginsandboxesandjunglegyms."WishIhadsomekidstoyellat."松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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