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第16章 田间之旅field tri2（第1页）

knew，forexamle，moreaboutbaseballanditshistorythanmyfatherdidandwasalwaysreadytoarguethemeritsofPeeWeeReese（herfavoriteshortsto）againstChicoCarrasquel（mine）。TheoneMrs。Knaincidentthatwillalwaysremainengravedinmymemorydidn’thaenatschool，however。Ithaenedonadesertedcountryroadthatdividedcorn-fieldsontheafternoonofthelastdayofthat，myfirstfullfledgedschoolyear。Tocelebratethebeautifulweather，she’dtakenusonafieldtri，literally，throughthebrightyellowandgreenofcornandwheatstalksthatweretallerthanIwas（andthanshewas，too）butstilltwoorthreemonthsshyoftheirharvest。

Wewandered，aslargegrousofchildrenarewonttodo，oureyescatchingwithfascinationoneverybugandbirdandleaf，everyoneofwhich，unfailingly，Mrs。Knahadexlanationsfor。Wetrekkedalongutterlyuntraffickedgravelanddirtroadsthathadbeenbulldozedjustwideenoughfortractorsorasinglecartotravel。Therewerenotrees:TheIlinoisrairielandwasflat，andwecouldseeonlytheblueofthehorizonandanoccasionalfarmhouserooftobeyondthefieldsofgrain。Weateourlunchsandwichesalongaroadside，listeningtotherustleofthewindthroughthegentlywavingcros，thecriesofthecrows，thechirrsofthecricketsandbeetles。Afterlunchwewalkedmore。Now，though，thetrihadbecomereetitious—morefields，morecros，morebirdcalls—andI，certainlyamongothers，wasbecomingimatient。Then，ithaened:There，intheabsolutemiddleofnowhere（straightoutofwhat，someyearslater，IwouldthinkofasTheTwilightZoneoraStehenKingnovel），onthesideofanothersingle-laneroadhundredsofyardsfromanythingthatresembledcivilization，stoodanicecreamstand。Nothingfancy，justawoodencountersixoreightfeetwide，fivefeethigh，twofeetdee，witholessuortingawoodsheetthatservedassuncoverforthegrizzled，butsmiling，middle-agedmanwhostoodbehindit。

Thewords“IceCream—10Flavors”wereaintedrominentlyonthefront。ThemanandMrs。Knagreetedeachotherasoldfriends。Sheturnedtousandsaideachofuscouldhaveanicecreamcone，anyflavorwewished，hertreat。Ourenthusiasmwas，naturally，boundless，anddebateoverwhethertosticktotheknowndelightsofchocolateorvanillaorwhethertoexerimentwiththeexoticRockyRoadorBlueberryragedamongus。Butweeachsettledonsomething，andthemanscooedlargescoosintowaffleconesandhandedthemout。Wesavoredanddevoured。ThenheaskedMrs。Kna，“Whatwouldyoulike?”Iliketothinktherewasatwinkleinhiseyesashedidandthatwhatfollowedwasaritualbetweenthem，althoughthefewkidswho’dattendedMrs。Kna’sclassesinyearsbeforehadn’tbeentothestand。Sheausedthoughtfully，

thensaid，“IthinkI’llhaveaconewithascooofeach。”Hedidn’tbataneyelash，butwedid。Ascooofeach?Alltenflavors?Inonecone?Mrs。Kna，thiswomanwhowassmallerthantheoldestofherstudents，wasgoingtoeataten-scooicecreamcone?Withthesamealombshedislayedintheclassroom，shetookthemountainfromhimcarefullyandlickedtheto。Shesaidsomethinglike“Mmm”andsmiled。

Andwewatched，agogwithenvy，assheconsumedeverysweetmound，movinghertongueuanddownfromvanillatostrawberrytobutterecan，notlosingadrototheheatoftheafternoon。Afterward，wewalkedbacktotheschool，erhasjustamileorsoaway，ackeduourthings，saidgood-byetoherandeachother，andwalkedhomeorwaitedforourarentstocome。Ofcourse，Itoldmyarentsabouttheevent，and，ofcourse，theysmiled。Wedroveasttheschoolthefollowingweek。ItwasclosedforthesummerandMrs。Knawasoffsomewhere，withMr。Kna，Isuosed，eatingcoiousquantitiesoficecreamstackedinsky-highcones。Ineversawheragain，andthoughwelooked，Ineverfoundthaticecreamstand，either。Now，fiftyyearslater，thoughthelittleelseIcanrecallaboutthatfirstschoolyearisonlydimlyremembered，Mrs。Knaandherten-scooicecreamconeremainsoneofmyclearestchildhoodmemories。Andoften，asIwatchchildrensittinginthesunoutsidemoderntwenty-orthirty-flavoricecreamemoriums，Iwonderiferhassheisn’tsomewherewatching，awell-filledwaffleconeinhand，stillenjoyingitmightily。