问题描述:

ItwasSaturday.Asalwaysitwasabusyonefor“Sixdaysshallyoulaborandallyourwork”wastakenseriouslybackthen.OutsideFatherandMr.Patricknextdoorwerebusychoppingfirewood.InsidetheirownhousesMotherandMrs.Patrickwereengagedinspringcleaning.

Somehowtheboyshadslippedawaytothebacklotwiththeirkites.Nowevenattheriskofhavingbrothercaughttobeatcarpetstheyhadsenthimtothekitchenformorestring(线).Itseemedtherewas nolimittotheheightstowhichkiteswouldflytoday.

Mymotherlookedatthesittingroomitsfurnituredisorderedforathoroughsweeping.Againshe

castalooktowardthewindow.“Comeongirls!Let’stakestringtotheboysandwatchthemflythekitesaminute.”

OnthewaywemetMrs.Patriclaughingguiltilyasifsheweredoingsomethingwrongtogetherwithhergirls.Thereneverwassuchadayforflyingkites!Weplayedallourfreshstringintotheboys’kitesandtheywentuphigherandhigher.Wecouldhardlydistinguishtheorange-coloredspotsofthekites.Nowandthenweslowlypulledonekitebackwatchingitdancingupanddowninthewindandfinallybringingitdowntoearthjustforthejoyofsendingitupagain.

Evenourfathersdroppedtheirtoolsandjoinedus.Ourmotherstooktheirturnlaughinglikeschoolgirls.Ithinkwewereallbesideourselves.Parentsforgottheirdutyandtheirdignity;childrenforgottheireverydayfightsandlittlejealousies.“Perhapsit’slikethisinthekingdomofheaven”Ithoughtconfusedly.

Itwasgrowingdarkbeforeweallwalkedsleepilybacktothehoused.Isupposewehadsomesortofsupper.Isupposetheremusthavebeensurfacetidying-upforthehouseonSundaylookedcleanandorderlyenough.Thestrangethingwaswedidn’tmentionthatdayafterward.Ifeltalittleembarrassed.SurelynoneoftheothershadbeenasexcitedasI.Ilockedthememoryupinthatdeepestpartofmewherewekeep“thethingsthatcannotbeandyettheyare.”

TheyearswentonthenonedayIwashurryingaboutmykitcheninacityapartmenttryingtogetsomeworkoutofthewaywhilemythree-year-oldinsistentlycriedherdesireto“goparkseeduck.”“Ican’tgo!”Isaid.“IhavethisandthistodoandwhenI’mthroughI’llbetootiredtowalkthatfar.”

Mymotherwhowasvisiting