THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET 04Word文档格式.docx
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THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET 04Word文档格式.docx
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23BornBad
MostlikelyIwillgotohellandmostlikelyIdeservetobethere.MymothersaysIwasbornonanevildayandpraysforme.LucyandRachelpraytoo.Forourselvesandforeachother...becauseofwhatwedidtoAuntLupe.
HernamewasGuadalupeandshewasprettylikemymother.Dark.Goodtolookat.InherJoanCrawforddressandswimmer'
slegs.AuntLupeofthephotographs.
ButIknewhersickfromthediseasethatwouldnotgo,herlegsbunchedundertheyellowsheets,thebonesgonelimpasworms.Theyellowpillow,theyellowsmell,thebottlesandspoons.Herheadthrownbacklikeathirstylady.Myaunt,theswimmer.
Hardtoimagineherlegsoncestrong,theboneshardandpartingwater,cleansharpstrokes,notbentandwrinkledlikeababy,notdrowningunderthestickyyellowlight.Second-floorrearapartment.
Thenakedlightbulb.Thehighceilings.Thelightbulbalwaysburning.
Idon'
tknowwhodecideswhodeservestogobad.Therewasnoevilinherbirth.Nowickedcurse.
OnedayIbelieveshewasswimming,andthenextdayshewassick.Itmighthavebeenthedaythatgrayphotographwastaken.ItmighthavebeenthedayshewasholdingcousinTotchyandbabyFrank.Itmighthavebeenthemomentshepointedtothecameraforthekidstolookandtheywouldn'
t.
Maybetheskydidn'
tlookthedayshefelldown.MaybeGodwasbusy.Itcouldbetrueshedidn'
tdiverightonedayandhurtherspine.Ormaybethestorythatshefellveryhardfromahighstepstool,likeTotchysaid,istrue.
ButIthinkdiseaseshavenoeyes.Theypickwithadizzyfingeranyone,justanyone.LikemyauntwhohappenedtobewalkingdownthestreetonedayinherJoanCrawforddress,inherfunnyfelthatwiththeblackfeather,cousinTotchyinonehand,babyFrankintheother.
Sometimesyougetusedtothesickandsometimesthesickness,ifitistheretoolong,getstoseemnormal.Thisishowitwaswithher,andmaybethisiswhywechoseher.
Itwasagame,that'
sall.Itwasthegameweplayedeveryafternooneversincethatdayoneofusinventedit—Ican'
trememberwho—Ithinkitwasme.
Youhadtopicksomebody.Youhadtothinkofsomeoneeverybodyknew.Someoneyoucouldimitateandeveryoneelsewouldhavetoguesswhoitwas.Itstartedoutwithfamouspeople:
WonderWoman,theBeatles,MarilynMonroe....Butthensomebodythoughtit'
dbebetterifwechangedthegamealittle,ifwepretendedwewereMr.Benny,orhiswifeBlanca,orRuthie,oranybodyweknew.
tknowwhywepickedher.Maybewewereboredthatday.Maybewegottired.Welikedmyaunt.Shelistenedtoourstories.Shealwaysaskedustocomeback.Lucy,me,Rachel.Ihatedtogotherealone.Thesixblockstothedarkapartment,second-floorrearbuildingwheresunlightnevercame,andwhatdiditmatter?
Myauntwasblindbythen.Sheneversawthedirtydishesinthesink.Shecouldn'
tseetheceilingsdustywithflies,theuglymaroonwalls,thebottlesandstickyspoons.Ican'
tforgetthesmell.Likestickycapsulesfilledwithjelly.Myaunt,alittleoyster,alittlepieceofmeatonanopenshellforustolookat.Hello,hello.Asifshehadfallenintoawell.
Itookmylibrarybookstoherhouse.Ireadherstories.IlikedthebookTheWaterbabies.Shelikedittoo.IneverknewhowsickshewasuntilthatdayItriedtoshowheroneofthepicturesinthebook,abeautifulcolorpictureofthewaterbabiesswimminginthesea.Iheldthebookuptoherface.
Ican'
tseeit,shesaid,I'
mblind.AndthenIwasashamed.
Shelistenedtoeverybook,everypoemIreadher.OnedayIreadheroneofmyown.Icameveryclose.Iwhispereditintothepillow:
Iwanttobelikethewavesonthesea,likethecloudsinthewind,butI'
mme.OnedayI'
lljumpoutofmyskin.I'
llshaketheskylikeahundredviolins.
That'
snice.That'
sverygood,shesaidinhertiredvoice.Youjustremembertokeepwriting,Esperanza.Youmustkeepwriting.Itwillkeepyoufree,andIsaidyes,butatthattimeIdidn'
tknowwhatshemeant.
Thedayweplayedthegame,wedidn'
tknowshewasgoingtodie.Wepretendedwithourheadsthrownback,ourarmslimpanduseless,danglinglikethedead.Welaughedthewayshedid.Wetalkedthewayshetalked,thewayblindpeopletalkwithoutmovingtheirhead.Weimitatedthewayyouhadtoliftherheadalittlesoshecoulddrinkwater,shesuckeditupslowoutofagreentincup.Thewaterwaswarmandtastedlikemetal.Lucylaughed.Racheltoo.Wetookturnsbeingher.WescreamedintheweakvoiceofaparrotforTotchytocomeandwashthosedishes.Itwaseasy.
Wedidn'
tknow.Shehadbeendyingsuchalongtime,weforgot.Maybeshewasashamed.Maybeshewasembarrassedittooksomanyyears.Thekidswhowantedtobekidsinsteadofwashingdishesandironingtheirpapa'
sshirts,andthehusbandwhowantedawifeagain.
Andthenshedied,myauntwholistenedtomypoems.
Andthenwebegantodreamthedreams.
24Elenita,Cards,Palm,Water
Elenita,witchwoman,wipesthetablewitharagbecauseErniewhoisfeedingthebabyspilledKool-Aid.Shesays:
TakethatcrazybabyoutofhereanddrinkyourKool-Aidinthelivingroom.Can'
tyouseeI'
mbusy?
ErnietakesthebabyintothelivingroomwhereBugsBunnyisonTV.
Goodluckyyoudidn'
tcomeyesterday,shesays.Theplanetswereallmixedupyesterday.
HerTViscolorandbigandallherprettyfurnituremadeoutofredfurliketheteddybearstheygiveawayincarnivals.Shehasthemcoveredwithplastic.Ithinkthisisonaccountofthebaby.
Yes,it'
sagoodthing,Isay.
Butwestayinthekitchenbecausethisiswheresheworks.Thetopoftherefrigeratorbusywithholycandles,somelit,somenot,redandgreenandblue,aplastersaintandadustyPalmSundaycross,andapictureofthevoodoohandtapedtothewall.
Getthewater,shesays.
Igotothesinkandpicktheonlycleanglassthere,abeermugthatsaysthebeerthatmadeMilwaukeefamous,andfillitupwithhotwaterfromthetap,thenputtheglassofwateronthecenterofthetable,thewayshetaughtme.
Lookinit,doyouseeanything?
ButallIseearebubbles.
Youseeanybody'
sface?
Nope,justbubbles,Isay.
sokay,andshemakesthesignofthecrossoverthewaterthreetimesandthenbeginstocutthecards.
They'
renotlikeordinaryplayingcards,thesecards.They'
restrange,withblondmenonhorsesandcrazybaseballbatswiththorns.Goldengoblets,sad-lookingwomendressedinold-fashioneddresses,androsesthatcry.
ThereisagoodBugsBunnycartoononTV.Iknow,IsawitbeforeandrecognizethemusicandwishIcouldgositontheplasticcouchwithErnieandthebaby,butnowmyfortunebegins.Mywholelifeonthatkitchentable:
past,present,future.Thenshetakesmyhandandlooksintomypalm.Closesit.Closeshereyestoo.
Doyoufeelit,feelthecold?
Yes,Ilie,butonlyalittle.
Good,shesays,losespí
ritusarehere.Andbegins.
Thiscard,theonewiththedarkmanonadarkhorse,thismeansjealousy,andthisone,sorrow.
Hereapillarofbeesandthisamattressofluxury.Youwillgotoaweddingsoonanddidyouloseananchorofarms,yes,ananchorofarms?
It'
sclearthat'
swhatthatmeans.
Whataboutahouse,Isay,becausethat'
swhatIcamefor.
Ah,yes,ahomeintheheart.Iseeahomeintheheart.
Isthatit?
swhatIsee,shesays,thengetsupbecausethekidsarefighting.Elenitagetsuptohitandthenhugthem.Shereallydoeslovethem,onlysometimestheyarerude.
ShecomesbackandcantellI'
mdisappointed.She'
sawitchwomanandknowsmanythings.Ifyougotaheadache,rubacoldeggacrossyourface.Needtoforgetanoldromance?
Takeachicken'
sfoot,tieitwithredstring,spinitoveryourheadthreetimes,thenburnit.Badspiritskeepingyouawake?
Sleepnexttoaholycandleforsevendays,thenontheeighthday,spit.Andlotsofotherstuff.OnlynowshecantellI'
msad.
Baby,I'
lllookagainifyouwantmeto.Andshelooksagainintothecards,palm,water,andsaysuh-huh.
Ahomeintheheart,Iwasright.
OnlyIdon'
tgetit.
Anewhouse,ahousemadeofheart.I'
lllightacandleforyou.
AllthisforfivedollarsIgiveher.
Thankyouandgoodbyeandbecarefuloftheevileye.ComebackagainonaThursdaywhenthestarsarestronger.AndmaytheVirginblessyou.Andshutsthedoor.
25GeraldoNoLastName
Shemethimatadance.Prettytoo,andyoung.Saidheworkedinarestaurant,butshecan'
trememberwhichone.Geraldo.That'
sall.Greenpantsand
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