第7部分(第4/8 頁)

id。　Twenty　five　cents　an　hour　would　be　big　bucks　to　me。

〃OK；　I'll　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

〃Take　it。　Take　it。〃　I　could　not　believe　what　I　was　hearing。　Still；　I　said　nothing。

〃OK；　2　an　hour。〃

My　little　9…year…old　brain　and　heart　nearly　exploded。　After　all；　it　was　1956　and　being　paid　2　an　hour　would　have　made　me　the　richest　kid　in　the　world。　I　couldn't　imagine　earning　that　kind　of　money。　I　wanted　to　say　〃yes。〃　I　wanted　the　deal。　I　could　see　a　new　bicycle；　new　baseball　glove；　and　adoration　of　my　friends　when　I　flashed　some　cash。　On　top　of　that；　Jimmy　and　his　rich　friends　could　never　call　me　poor　again。　But　somehow　my　mouth　stayed　silent。

Maybe　my　brain　had　overheated　and　blown　a　fuse。　But　deep　down；　I　badly　wanted　that　2　an　hour。

The　ice　cream　had　melted　and　was　running　down　my　hand。　The　ice…cream　stick　was　empty；　and　under　it　was　a　sticky　mess　of　vanilla　and　chocolate　that　ants　were　enjoying。　Rich　dad　was　looking　at　two　boys　staring　back　at　him；　eyes　wide　open　and　brains　empty。　He　knew　he　was　testing　us；　and　he　knew　there　was　a　part　of　our　emotions　that　wanted　to　take　the　deal。　He　knew　that　each　human　being　has　a　weak　and　needy　part　of　their　soul　that　can　be　bought。　And　he　knew　that　each　human　being　also　had　a　part　of　their　soul　that　was　strong　and　filled　with　a　resolve　that　could　never　be　bought。　It　was　only　a　question　of　whic