沸腾文学

第7部分（第1页）

I　nodded　my　head。

〃Good；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Now　get　back　to　work。　This　time；　I　will　pay　you　nothing。〃

〃What？〃　I　asked　in　amazement。

〃You　heard　me。　Nothing。　You　will　work　the　same　three　hours　every

Saturday；　but　this　time　you　will　not　be　paid　10　cents　per　hour。　You　said　you　wanted　to　learn　to　not　work　for　money；　so　Im　not　going　to　pay　you　anything。〃

I　couldnt　believe　what　I　was　hearing。

〃Ive　already　had　this　conversation　with　Mike。　Hes　already　working；　dusting　and　stacking　canned　goods　for　free。　Youd　better　hurry　and　get　back　there。〃

〃Thats　not　fair；〃　I　shouted。　〃Youve　got　to　pay　something。〃

〃You　said　you　wanted　to　learn。　If　you　dont　learn　this　now；　youll　grow　up　to　be　like　the　two　women　and　the　older　man　sitting　in　my　living　room；　working　for　money　and　hoping　I　dont　fire　them。　Or　like　your　dad；　earning　lots　of　money　only　to　be　in　debt　up　to　his　eyeballs；　hoping　more　money　will　solve　the　problem。　If　thats　what　you　want；　Ill　go　back　to　our　original　deal　of　10　cents　an　hour。　Or　you　can　do　what　most　people　grow　up　to　do。　plain　that　there　is　not　enough　pay；　quit　and　go　looking　for　another　job。〃

〃But　what　do　I　do？〃　I　asked。

Rich　dad　tapped　me　on　the　head。　〃Use　this；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　use　it　well；　you　will　soon　thank　me　for　giving　you　an　opportunity；　and　you　will　grow　into　a　rich　man。〃

I　stood　there　still　not　believing　what　a　raw　deal　I　had　been　handed。　Here　I　came　to　ask　for　a　raise；　and　now　I　was　being　told　to　keep　working　for　nothing。

Rich　dad　tapped　me　on　the　head　again　and　said；　〃Use　this。　Now　get　out　of　here　and　get　back　to　work。〃

LESSON　#l：　The　Rich　Dont　Work　For　Money

I　didnt　tell　my　poor　dad　I　wasnt　being　paid。　He　would　not　have　understood；　and　I　did　not　want　to　try　to　explain　something　that　I　did　not　yet　understand　myself。

For　three　more　weeks；　Mike　and　I　worked　for　three　hours；　every　Saturday；　for　nothing。　The　work　didnt　bother　me；　and　the　routine　got　easier。　It　was　the　missed　baseball　games　and　not　being　able　to　afford　to　buy　a　few　ic　books　that　got　to　me。

Rich　dad　stopped　by　at　noon　on　the　third　week。　We　heard　his　truck　pull　up　in　the　parking　lot　and　sputter　when　the　engine　was　turned　off。　He　entered　the　store　and　greeted　Mrs。　Martin　with　a　hug。　After　finding　out　how　things　were　going　in　the　store；　he　reached　into　the　ice…cream　freezer；　pulled　out　two　bars；　paid　for　them；　and　signalled　to　Mike　and　me。

〃Lets　go　for　a　walk　boys。〃

We　crossed　the　street；　dodging　a　few　cars；　and　walked　across　a　large　grassy　field；　where　a　few　adults　were　playing　softball。　Sitting　down　at　a　remote　picnic　table；　he　handed　Mike　and　me　the　ice…cream　bars。

〃Hows　it　going　boys？〃

〃OK；〃　Mike　said。

I　nodded　in　agreement。

〃Learn　anything　yet？〃　rich　dad　asked。

Mike　and　I　looked　at　each　other；　shrugged　our　shoulders　and　shook　our　heads　in　unison。

Avoiding　One　of　Lifes　Biggest　Traps

〃Well；　you　boys　had　better　start　thinking。　Youre　staring　at　one　of　lifes　biggest　lessons。　If　you　learn　the　lesson；　youll　enjoy　a　life　of　great　freedom　and　security。　If　you　dont　learn　the　lesson；　youll　wind　up　like　Mrs。　Martin　and　most　of　the　people　playing　softball　in　this　park。　They　work　very　hard；　for　little　money；　clinging　to　the　illusion　of　job　security；　looking　forward　to　a　three…week　vacation　each　year　and　a　skimpy　pension　after　forty…five　years　of　work。　If　that　excites　you；　Ill　give　you　a　raise　to　25　cents　an　hour。〃

〃But　these　are　good　hard…working　people。　Are　you　making　fun　of　them？〃　I　demanded。

A　smile　came　over　rich　dads　face。

〃Mrs。　Martin　is　like　a　mother　to　me。　I　would　never　be　that　cruel。　I　may　sound　cruel　because　Im　doing　my　best　to　point　something　out　to　the　two　of　you。　I　want　to　expand　your　point　of　view　so　you　can　see　something。　Something　most　people　never　have　the　benefit　of　seeing　because　their　vision　is　too　narrow。　Most　people　never　see　the　trap　they　are　in。〃

Mike　and　I　sat　there　uncertain　of　his　message。　He　sounded　cruel；　yet　we　could　sense　he　was　desperately　wanting　us　to　know　something。

With　a　smile；　rich　dad　said；　〃Doesnt　that　25　cents　an　hour　sound　good？　Doesnt　it　make　your　heart　beat　a　little　faster。〃

I　shook　my　head　〃no；〃　but　it　really　did。　Twenty　five　cents　an　hour　would　be　big　bucks　to　me。

〃OK；　Ill　pay　you　a　dollar　an　hour；〃　rich　dad　said；　with　a　sly　grin。

Now　my　heart　was　beginning　to　race。　My　brain　was　screaming；

An