4. A Boy
#page-129Page 127-130
Story
Jump to Page
Page 128 | Page 129 | Page 130
Page 127
Bradley paid close attention
as Mrs. Ebbel taught
arithmetic (算術).
He nodded (點頭) his head
every time
she said
something that he
already knew.
Once he almost raised
his hand
to answer a question,
but he lost his
nerve (勇氣).
Somebody else
gave the answer
he would have
given.
I knew it,
he thought
as he nodded his head.
He had spent recess
in the library
reading
My Parents Didn’t Steal an Elephant
by Uriah C. Lasso.
When he was
leaving the library,
Mrs. Wilcott stopped him
and said,
“You were reading,
weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Good for you,
Bradley! Good for you!”
He smiled now
as he remembered (記起) it.
It’s because of
Carla’s book,
he thought.
The book
was his lucky (幸運的) charm.
As long as
he had it with him,
it seemed like
nothing could go wrong.
His black eye
was all gone
too.
When the bell
rang for lunch,
he put
his arithmetic book away,
took out his lucky book,
and walked
to Mrs. Ebbel’s desk.
“May I please
borrow (借用) the hall pass?”
he asked.
She let him
have it.
He knew she would.
He was holding
the magic (魔法的) book.
Page 128
Page 128
He walked
to Carla’s office.
Just as he was raising his fist
to knock,
she opened the door.
“Bradley, what a pleasant (愉快的)
surprise!”
“You want to have
lunch together?”
he asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry,
I can’t.
I have to
go to the principal’s office.”
“What’s the matter?
Did you get
in trouble (麻煩)?”
he joked.
She didn’t laugh
at his joke.
She shrugged (聳) her shoulders,
then headed (前往)
toward the principal’s office.
Maybe she really did
get in trouble,
Bradley thought
as he watched her go.
It’s probably because
she doesn’t believe
in rules.
She must have
broken (違反) one
without knowing it.
I should have
warned (警告) her.
But he wasn’t
too worried.
He couldn’t imagine (想像)
anything bad
ever happening
to Carla.
He walked
through the auditorium (禮堂)
and outside
to the playground.
He sat down
on the steps
outside the auditorium
and ate his lunch.
At least
he had her book
with him.
That was almost
as good as
eating lunch
with her.
He didn’t read
while he ate.
He was afraid
he might accidentally (不小心地)
spill food
on the book
even if there were no such
things as
accidents (意外).
Colleen Verigold
walked by.
“Hello, Colleen!”
he called to her.
She stopped
and looked at him
oddly (奇怪地),
then walked away
without returning his hello.
Bradley didn’t mind.
He had said hello
to Colleen
because he knew
Carla would appreciate (感激) it.
Page 129
Page 129
He felt Carla
was watching over him.
And it didn’t matter
that Colleen
didn’t say hello back,
because in his heart
he heard Carla say,
Hello, Bradley.
It’s a pleasure (愉悅)
to see you
today.
He finished eating,
then opened the book.
Guess what they’ve done now?
They wallpapered (貼壁紙)
the garage.
I told you
they were crazy!
Whoever heard of
anybody putting wallpaper
on the walls
of a garage?
Purple paper
with yellow polka (圓點) dots!
I don’t even know
how they got
in there.
The garage
has been locked shut
for months.
The lock
was broken (壞掉)
or something
so nobody could get in.
At least
I’m glad
they finally got it open.
It was beginning
to smell
pretty bad.
You could smell it
from the driveway.
Now it just smells
like paste (漿糊).
I can’t wait
until my parents
get home
and put an end
to all this
craziness (瘋狂).
Their trial (審判)
is next week.
They have to
be found
innocent (無罪).
I mean,
if they stole
an elephant
I’d know
about it,
wouldn’t I?
Where could you
hide an elephant?
“Look, he’s reading,”
said Robbie.
“I didn’t know
he knew
how to read,”
laughed Curtis.
Bradley looked up.
He was surrounded (包圍)
by Jeff
and his gang (幫派).
“He can’t read,”
said Brian.
“He just looks
at the pictures!”
They all
laughed.
“Whatcha (你在…什麼) readin’?”
asked Russell.
Page 130
Bradley closed
the book
and slowly stood
on the concrete (水泥) steps.
“Chicken Chalkers,”
said Dan.
Andy bounced (彈)
a basketball.
Bradley glanced (瞥)
behind him.
Doug was blocking (擋住)
the door
to the auditorium.
“What’s the matter,
Bradley?”
he asked.
“Hey, Chalkers,
what’s the name
of your book?”
asked Robbie.
He looked
at his book,
then stared defiantly (挑釁地)
at Robbie.
“Let me see it,”
said Robbie.
Bradley clutched (緊抱)
it against his chest.
No matter what,
he wasn’t going to
let them harm
Carla’s book.
“Aw, c’mon,
Bradley,
be a pal,”
said Robbie.
“I just want
to see it.”
Curtis chuckled (輕笑).
Robbie stepped
up toward him.
“You can’t read
anyway,”
he said.
“Give it to me
and I’ll read
it to you.”
He reached out
and rested his hand
on the book.
Bradley jerked (猛拉)
it away.
“Uh-oh,
I think he’s
getting angry,”
said Brian.
“I just want
to see it,”
said Robbie.
Again,
he reached
for the book.
Bradley held it
under his left arm
and against
his chest.
He made
his right hand
into a fist (拳頭).
Robbie backed
away.
“Jeff,”
he called.
“C’mon, Jeff,
teach him
a lesson (教訓),”
said Dan.
Jeff stepped
between Andy
and Russell.
The End