第26部分(第2/8 頁)

reet　Journal；　and　a　few　books　on　the　stock　market。〃

〃Then　what？〃　I　asked。 〃What　was　the　catch？〃

〃I　told　him　the　3；000　was　his；　but　he　could　not　directly　buy　a　car　with　it。　He　could　use　it　to　buy　and　sell　stocks；　find　his　own　stockbroker；　and　once　he　had　made　6；000　with　the　3；000；　the　money　would　be　his　for　the　car；　and　the　3；000　would　go　into　his　college　fund。〃

〃And　what　are　the　results？〃　I　asked。

〃Well；　he　got　lucky　early　in　his　trading；　but　lost　all　he　gained　a　few　days　later。　Then；　he　really　got　interested。　Today；　I　would　say　he　is　down　2；000；　but　his　interest　is　up。　He　has　read　all　the　books　I　bought　him　and　he's　gone　to　the　library　to　get　more。　He　reads　the　Wall　Street　Journal　voraciously；　watching　for　indicators；　and　he　watches　CNBC　instead　of　MTV。　He's　got　only　1；000　left；　but　his　interest　and　learning　are　sky　high。　He　knows　that　if　he　loses　that　money；　he　walks　for　two　more　years。　But　he　does　not　seem　to　care。　He　even　seems　uninterested　in　getting　a　car　because　he's　found　a　game　that　is　more　fun。〃

〃What　happens　if　he　loses　all　the　money？〃　I　asked。

〃We'll　cross　that　bridge　when　we　get　to　it。　I'd　rather　have　him　lose　everything　now　rather　than　wait　till　he's　our　age　to　risk　losing　everything。　And　besides；　that　is　the　best　3；000　I've　ever　spent　on　his　education。　What　he　is　learning　will　serve　him　for　life；　and　he　seems　to　have　gained　a　new　respect　for　the　power　of　money。　I　think　he's　stopped　the　burning　of　holes　in　his　pockets。〃