第4部分(第3/8 頁)

chool　with　the　rich　kids。　We　weren't　really　poor；　but　we　felt　as　if　we　were　because　all　the　other　boys　had　new　baseball　gloves；　；；；y

new　bicycles；　new　everything。

Mom　and　dad　provided　us　with　the　basics；　like　food；　shelter；　clothes。　：；　But　that　was　about　it。　My　dad　used　to　say；　〃If　you　want　something；　work　for　it。〃　We　wanted　things；　but　there　was　not　much　work　available　for　9…　；　year…old　boys。

〃So　what　do　we　do　to　make　money？〃　Mike　asked。

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃But　do　you　want　to　be　my　partner？〃

He　agreed　and　so　on　that　Saturday　morning；　Mike　became　my　first　business　partner。　We　spent　all　morning　ing　up　with　ideas　on　how　to　1'make　money。　Occasionally　we　talked　about　all　the　〃cool　guys〃　at　Jimmy's　beach　house　having　fun。　It　hurt　a　little；　but　that　hurt　was　good；　for　it　inspired　us　to　keep　thinking　of　a　way　to　make　money。　Finally；　that　afternoon；　a　bolt　of　lightning　came　through　our　heads。　It　was　an　idea　Mike　had　gotten　from　a　science　book　he　had　read。　Excitedly；　we　shook　hands；　and　the　partnership　now　had　a　business。

For　the　next　several　weeks；　Mike　and　I　ran　around　our　neighborhood；　knocking　on　doors　and　asking　our　neighbors　if　they　would　save　their　toothpaste　tubes　for　us。　With　puzzled　looks；　most　adults　consented　with　a　smile。　Some　asked　us　what　we　were　doing。　To　which　we　replied；　〃We　can't　tell　you。　It's　a　business　secret。〃

My　mom　grew　distressed　as　the　weeks　wore　on。　We　had　selected　a

site　next　to　her　washing　machi