難忘的醃菜罐 the ickle jar (第1/5頁)
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科布
A。W。Cobb
AsfarbackasIcanremember，thelargeicklejarsatonthefloorbesidethedresserinmyarentsbedroom。Whenhegotreadyforbed，Dadwouldemtyhisocketsandtosshiscoinsintothejar。AsasmallboyIwasalwaysfascinatedatthesoundsthecoinsmadeastheyweredroedintothejar。Theylandedwithamerryjinglewhenthejarwasalmostemty。Thenthetonesgraduallymutedtoadullthudasthejarwasfilled。Iusedtosquatonthefloorinfrontofthejarandadmirethecoerandsilvercirclesthatglintedlikeairatestreasurewhenthesunouredthroughthebedroomwindow。
Whenthejarwasfilled，Dadwouldsitatthekitchentableandrollthecoinsbeforetakingthemtothebank。Takingthecoinstothebankwasalwaysabigroduction。Stackedneatlyinasmallcardboardbox，thecoinswerelacedbetweenDadandmeontheseatofhisoldtruck。Eachandeverytime，aswedrovetothebank，Dadwouldlookatmehoefully。“Thosecoinsaregoingtokeeyououtofthetextilemill，son。Youregoingtodobetterthanme。Thisoldmilltownsnotgoingtoholdyouback。”Also，eachandeverytime，asheslidtheboxofrolledcoinsacrossthecounteratthebanktowardthecashier，hewouldgrinroudly。“Theseareformysonscollegefund。Hellneverworkatthemillallhislifelikeme。”
Wewouldalwayscelebrateeachdeositbystoingforanicecreamcone。Ialwaysgotchocolate。Dadalwaysgotvanilla。WhentheclerkattheicecreamarlorhandedDadhischange，hewouldshowmethefewcoinsnestledinhisalm。“Whenwegethome，wellstartfillingthejaragain。”
Healwaysletmedrothefirstcoinsintotheemtyjar。Astheyrattledaroundwithabrief，hayjingle，wegrinnedateachother。“Youllgettocollegeonennies，nickels，dimesandquarters，”hesaid。“Butyoullgetthere。Illseetothat。”
Theyearsassed，andIfinishedcollegeandtookajobinanothertown。Once，whilevisitingmyarents，Iusedthehoneintheirbedroom，andnoticedthattheicklejarwasgone。Ithadserveditsuroseandhadbeenremoved。AlumroseinmythroatasIstaredatthesotbesidethedresserwherethejarhadalwaysstood。Mydadwasamanoffewwords，andneverlecturedmeonthevaluesofdetermination，erseverance，andfaith。Theicklejarhadtaughtmeallthesevirtuesfarmoreeloquentlythanthemostfloweryofwordscouldhavedone。
WhenImarried，ItoldmywifeSusanaboutthesignificantartthelowlyicklejarhadlayedinmylifeasaboy。Inmymind，itdefined，morethananythingelse，howmuchmydadhadlovedme。Nomatterhowroughthingsgotathome，Dadcontinuedtodoggedlydrohiscoinsintothejar。EventhesummerwhenDadgotlaidofffromthemill，andMamahadtoservedriedbeansseveraltimesaweek，notasingledimewastakenfromthejar。Onthecontrary，asDadlookedacrossthetableatme，ouringcatsuovermybeanstomakethemmorealatable，hebecamemoredeterminedthanevertomakeawayoutforme。“Whenyoufinishcollege，son，”hetoldme，hiseyesglistening，“youllneverhavetoeatbeansagainunlessyouwantto。”
ThefirstChristmasafterourdaughterJessicawasborn，wesenttheholidaywithmyarents。Afterdinner，MomandDadsatnexttoeachotheronthesofa，takingturnscuddlingtheirfirstgrandchild。Jessicabegantowhimersoftly，andSusantookherfromDadsarms。“Sherobablyneedstobechanged。”shesaid，carryingthebabyintomyarentsbedroomtodiaerher。
WhenSusancamebackintothelivingroom，therewasastrangemistinhereyes。ShehandedJessicabacktoDadbeforetakingmyhandandquietlyleadingmeintotheroom。
