创客小说网

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第5部分（第2页）

〃What　are　you　laughing　at？〃　I　asked　with　anger　and　frustration。

〃Dad　said　this　would　happen。　He　said　to　meet　with　him　when　you　were　ready　to　quit。〃

〃What？〃　I　said　indignantly。　〃Hes　been　waiting　for　me　to　get　fed　up？〃

〃Sort　of；〃　Mike　said。　〃Dads　kind　of　different。　He　teaches　differently　from　your　dad。　Your　mom　and　dad　lecture　a　lot。　My　dad　is　quiet　and　a　man　of　few　words。　You　just　wait　till　this　Saturday。　Ill　tell　him　。youre　ready。〃

〃You　mean　Ive　been　set　up？〃

〃No；　not　really；　but　maybe。　Dad　will　explain　on　Saturday。〃

Waiting　in　Line　on　Saturday

I　was　ready　to　face　him　and　I　was　prepared。　Even　my　real　dad　was　angry　with　him。　My　real　dad；　the　one　I　call　the　poor　one；　thought　that　my　rich　dad　was　violating　child　labor　laws　and　should　be　investigated。

My　educated　poor　dad　told　me　to　demand　what　I　deserve。　At　least　25　cents　an　hour。　My　poor　dad　told　me　that　if　I　did　not　get　a　raise；　I　was　to　quit　immediately。

〃You　dont　need　that　damned　job　anyway；〃　said　my　poor　dad　with　indignity。

At　8　oclock　Saturday　morning；　I　was　going　through　the　same　rickety　door　of　Mikes　house。

〃Take　a　seat　and　wait　in　line；〃　Mikes　dad　said　as　I　entered。　He　turned　and　disappeared　into　his　little　office　next　to　a　bedroom。

I　looked　around　the　room　and　did　not　see　Mike　anywhere。　Feeling　awkward；　I　cautiously　sat　down　next　to　the　same　two　women　who　where　there　four　weeks　earlier。　They　smiled　and　slid　across　the　couch　to　make　room　for　me。

Forty…five　minutes　went　by；　and　I　was　steaming。　The　two　women　had　met　with　him　and　left　thirty　minutes　earlier。　An　older　gentleman　was　in　there　for　twenty　minutes　and　was　also　gone。

The　house　was　empty；　and　I　sat　out　in　his　musty　dark　living　room　on　a　beautiful　sunny　Hawaiian　day；　waiting　to　talk　to　a　cheapskate　who　exploited　children。　I　could　hear　him　rustling　around　the　office；　talking　on　the　phone；　and　ignoring　me。　I　was　now　ready　to　walk　out；　but　for　some　reason　I　stayed。

Finally；　fifteen　minutes　later；　at　exactly　9　oclock；　rich　dad　walked　out　of　his　office；　said　nothing；　and　signaled　with　his　hand　for　me　to　enter　his　dingy　office。

〃I　understand　you　want　a　raise　or　youre　going　to　quit；〃　rich　dad　said　as　he　swiveled　in　his　office　chair。

〃Well；　youre　not　keeping　your　end　of　the　bargain；〃　I　blurted　out　nearly　in　tears。　It　was　really　frightening　for　a　9…year…old　boy　to　confront　a　grownup。

〃You　said　that　you　would　teach　me　if　I　worked　for　you。　Well；　Ive　worked　for　you。　Ive　worked　hard。　Ive　given　up　my　baseball　games　to　work　for　you。　And　you　dont　keep　your　word。　You　havent　taught　me　anything。　You　are　a　crook　like　everyone　in　town　thinks　you　are。　Youre　greedy。　You　want　all　the　money　and　dont　take　care　of　your　employees。　You　make　me　wait　and　dont　show　me　any　respect。　Im　only　a　little　boy；　and　I　deserve　to　be　treated　better。〃

Rich　dad　rocked　back　in　his　swivel　chair；　hands　up　to　his　chin；　somewhat　staring　at　me。　It　was　like　he　was　studying　me。

〃Not　bad；〃　he　said。　〃In　less　than　a　month；　you　sound　like　most　of　my　employees。〃

〃What？〃　I　asked。　Not　understanding　what　he　was　saying；　I　continued　with　my　grievance。　〃I　thought　you　were　going　to　keep　your　end　of　the　bargain　and　teach　me。　Instead　you　want　to　torture　me？　Thats　cruel。　Thats　really　cruel。〃

〃I　am　teaching　you；〃　rich　dad　said　quietly。

〃What　have　you　taught　me？　Nothing！〃　I　said　angrily。　〃You　havent　even　talked　to　me　once　since　I　agreed　to　work　for　peanuts。　Ten　cents　an　hour。　Hah！　I　should　notify　the　government　about　you。

We　have　child　labor　laws；　you　know。　My　dad　works　for　the　government；　you　know。〃

〃Wow！〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Now　you　sound　just　like　most　of　the　people　who　used　to　work　for　me。　People　Ive　either　fired　or　theyve　quit。〃

〃So　what　do　you　have　to　say？〃　I　demanded；　feeling　pretty　brave　for　a　little　kid。　〃You　lied　to　me。　Ive　worked　for　you；　and　you　have　not　kept　your　word。　You　havent　taught　me　anything。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that　Ive　not　taught　you　anything？〃　asked　rich　dad　calmly。

〃Well；　youve　never　talked　to　me。　Ive　worked　for　three　weeks；　and　you　have　not　taught　me　anything；〃　I　said　with　a　pout。

〃Does　teaching　mean　talking　or　a　lecture？〃　rich　dad　asked。

〃Well；　yes；〃　I　replied。

〃Thats　how　they　teach　you　in　school；〃　he　said　smiling。　〃But　that　is　not　how　life　teaches　you；　and　I　would　say　that　life　is　the　best　teacher　of　all。　Most　of　the　time；　life　does　not　talk　to　you。　It　just　sort　of　pushes　you　around。　Each　push　is　life　saying；　‘Wake　up。　Theres　something　I　want　you　to　learn。　〃

〃What　is　this　man　talking　about？〃　I　asked　myself　silently。　〃Life　pushing　me　around　was　life　talking　to　me？〃　Now　I　knew　I　had　to　quit　my　job。　I　was　talking　to　someone　who　needed　to　be　locked　up。

〃If　you　learn　lifes　lessons；　you　will　do　well。　If　not；　life　will　just　continue　to　push　you　around。　People　do　two　things。　Some　just　let　life　push　them　around。　Others　get　angry　and　push　back。　But　they　push　back　against　their　boss；　or　their　job；　or　their　husband　or　wife。　They　do　not　know　its　life　thats　pushing。〃

I　had　no　idea　what　he　was　talking　about。

〃Life　pushes　all　of　us　around。　Some　give　up。　Others　fight。　A　few　learn　the　lesson　and　move　on。　They　wele　life　pushing　them　around。　To　these　few　people；　it　means　they　need　and　want　to　learn　something。　They　learn　and　move　on。　Most　quit；　and　a　few　like　you　fight。〃

Rich　dad　stood　and　shut　the　creaky　old　wooden　window　that　needed　repair。　〃If　you　learn　this　lesson；　you　will　grow　into　a　wise；　wealthy　and　happy　young　man。　If　you　dont；　you　will　spend　your　life　blaming　a　job；　low　pay　or　your　boss　for　your　problems。　Youll　live　life　hoping　for　that　big　break　that　will　solve　all　your　money　problems。〃

Rich　dad　looked　over　at　me　to　see　if　I　was　still　liste