twokinds英语读物.docx
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twokinds英语读物.docx
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twokinds英语读物
TwoKinds
AmyTan
MymotherbelievedyoucouldbeanythingyouwantedtobeinAmerica.Youcouldopenarestaurant.Youcouldworkforthegovernmentandgetgoodretirement.Youcouldbuyahousewithalmostnomoneydown.Youcouldbecomerich.Youcouldbecomeinstantlyfamous."Ofcourse,youcanbeaprodigy,too,"mymothertoldmewhenIwasnine."Youcanbebestanything.WhatdoesAuntieLindoknow?
Herdaughter,sheisonlybesttricky."Americawaswhereallmymother'shopeslay.ShehadcometoSanFranciscoin1949afterlosingeverythinginChina:
hermotherandfather,herhome,herfirsthusband,andtwodaughters,twinbabygirls.Butsheneverlookedbackwithregret.Thingscouldgetbetterinsomanyways.
Wedidn'timmediatelypicktherightkindofprodigy.AtfirstmymotherthoughtIcouldbeaChineseShirleyTemple.We'dwatchShirley'soldmoviesonTVasthoughtheyweretrainingfilms.Mymotherwouldpokemyarmandsay,"Nikan.Youwatch."AndIwouldseeShirleytappingherfeet,orsingingasailorsong,orpursingherlipsintoaveryroundOwhilesaying"Oh,mygoodness."Nikan,"mymothersaid,asShirley'seyesfloodedwithtears."Youalreadyknowhow.Don'tneedtalentforcrying!
"SoonaftermymothergotthisideaaboutShirleyTemple,shetookmetothebeautytrainingschoolintheMissionDistrictandputmeinthehandsofastudentwhocouldbarelyholdthescissorswithoutshaking.Insteadofgettingbigfatcurls,Iemergedwithanunevenmassofcrinklyblackfuzz.Mymotherdraggedmeofftothebathroomandtriedtowetdownmyhair."YoulooklikeaNegroChinese,"shelamented,asifIhaddonethisonpurpose.Theinstructorofthebeautytrainingschoolhadtolopoffthesesoggyclumpstomakemyhairevenagain."PeterPanisverypopularthesedays"theinstructorassuredmymother.Inowhadbadhairthelengthofaboy's,withcurlybangsthathungataslanttwoinchesabovemyeyebrows.Ilikedthehaircut,anditmademeactuallylookforwardtomyfuturefame.
Infact,inthebeginningIwasjustasexcitedasmymother,maybeevenmoreso.Ipicturedthisprodigypartofmeasmanydifferentimages,andItriedeachoneonforsize.Iwasadaintyballerinagirlstandingbythecurtain,waitingtohearthemusicthatwouldsendmefloatingonmytiptoes.IwasliketheChristchildliftedoutofthestrawmanger,cryingwithholyindignity.IwasCinderellasteppingfromherpumpkincarriagewithsparklycartoonmusicfillingtheair.InallofmyimaginingsIwasfilledwithasensethatIwouldsoonbecomeperfect:
Mymotherandfatherwouldadoreme.Iwouldbebeyondreproach.Iwouldneverfeeltheneedtosulk,ortoclamorforanything.Butsometimestheprodigyinmebecameimpatient."Ifyoudon'thurryupandgetmeoutofhere,I'mdisappearingforgood,"itwarned."Andthenyou'llalwaysbenothing."
EverynightafterdinnermymotherandIwouldsitattheFormicatoppedkitchentable.Shewouldpresentnewtests,takingherexamplesfromstoriesofamazingchildrenthatshereadinRipley'sBelieveItorNotorGoodHousekeeping,Reader'sdigest,oranyofadozenothermagazinesshekeptinapileinourbathroom.Mymothergotthesemagazinesfrompeoplewhosehousesshecleaned.Andsinceshecleanedmanyhouseseachweek,wehadagreatassortment.Shewouldlookthroughthemall,searchingforstoriesaboutremarkablechildren.Thefirstnightshebroughtoutastoryaboutathree-year-oldboywhoknewthecapitalsofallthestatesandeventhemostoftheEuropeancountries.Ateacherwasquotedassayingthatthelittleboycouldalsopronouncethenamesoftheforeigncitiescorrectly."What'sthecapitalofFinland?
”mymotheraskedme,lookingatthestory.AllIknewwasthecapitalofCalifornia,becauseSacramentowasthenameofthestreetwelivedoninChinatown."Nairobi!
"Iguessed,sayingthemostforeignwordIcouldthinkof.ShecheckedtoseeifthatmightbeonewaytopronounceHelsinkibeforeshowingmetheanswer.Thetestsgotharder-multiplyingnumbersinmyhead,findingthequeenofheartsinadeckofcards,tryingtostandonmyheadwithoutusingmyhands,predictingthedailytemperaturesinLosAngeles,NewYork,andLondon.OnenightIhadtolookatapagefromtheBibleforthreeminutesandthenreporteverythingIcouldremember."NowJehoshaphathadrichesandhonorinabundanceand...that'sallIremember,Ma,"Isaid.Andafterseeing,onceagain,mymother'sdisappointedface,somethinginsidemebegantodie.Ihatedthetests,theraisedhopesandfailedexpectations.BeforegoingtobedthatnightIlookedinthemirrorabovethebathroomsink,andIsawonlymyfacestaringback-andunderstoodthatitwouldalwaysbethisordinaryface-Ibegantocry.Suchasad,uglygirl!
Imadehigh-pitchednoiseslikeacrazedanimal,tryingtoscratchoutthefaceinthemirror.AndthenIsawwhatseemedtobetheprodigysideofme-afaceIhadneverseenbefore.Ilookedatmyreflection,blinkingsothatIcouldseemoreclearly.Thegirlstaringbackatmewasangry,powerful.SheandIwerethesame.Ihadnewthoughts,willfulthoughts-orrather,thoughtsfilledwithlotsofwon'ts.Iwon'tletherchangeme,Ipromisedmyself.Iwon'tbewhatI'mnot.Sonowwhenmymotherpresentedhertests,Iperformedlistlessly,myheadproppedononearm.Ipretendedtobebored.AndIwas.IgotsoboredthatIstartedcountingthebellowsofthefoghornsoutonthebaywhilemymotherdrilledmeinotherareas.Thesoundwascomfortingandremindedmeofthecowjumpingoverthemoon.AndthenextdayIplayedagamewithmyself,seeingifmymotherwouldgiveuponmebeforeeightbellows.AfterawhileIusuallycountedonlyonebellow,maybetwoatmost.Atlastshewasbeginningtogiveuphope.Twoorthreemonthswentbywithoutanymentionofmybeingaprodigy.AndthenonedaymymotherwaswatchingtheEdSullivanShowonTV.TheTVwasoldandthesoundkeptshortingout.Everytimemymothergothalfwayupfromthesofatoadjusttheset,thesoundwouldcomebackonandSullivanwouldbetalking.Assoonasshesatdown,Sullivanwouldgosilentagain.Shegotup-theTVbrokeintoloudpianomusic.Shesatdown-silence.Upanddown,backandforth,quietandloud.Itwaslikeastiff,embracelessdancebetweenherandtheTVset.Finally,shestoodbythesetwithherhandonthesounddial.Sheseemedentrancedbythemusic,afrenziedlittlepianopiecewithamesmerizingquality,whichalternatedbetweenquick,playfulpassagesandteasing,liltingones."Nikan,"mymothersaid,callingmeoverwithhurriedhandgestures."Lookhere."Icouldseewhymymotherwasfascinatedbythemusic.ItwasbeingpoundedoutbyalittleChinesegirl,aboutnineyearsold,withaPeterPanhaircut.ThegirlhadthesaucinessofaShirleyTemple.Shewasproudlymodest,likeaproperChineseChild.Andshealsodidafancysweepofacurtsy,sothatthefluffyskirtofherwhitedresscascadedtothefloorlikepetalsofalargecarnation.Inspiteofthesewarningsigns,Iwasn'tworried.Ourfamilyhadnopianoandwecouldn'taffordtobuyone,letalonereamsofsheetmusicandpianolessons.SoIcouldbegenerousinmycommentswhenmymotherbadmouthedthelittlegirlonTV."Playnoteright,butdoesn'tsoundgood!
"mymothercomplained"Nosingingsound.""Whatareyoupickingonherfor?
"Isaidcarelessly."She'sprettygood.Maybeshe'snotthebest,butshe'stryinghard."IknewalmostimmediatelythatIwouldbesorryIhadsaidthat."Justlikeyou,"shesaid."Notthebest.Becauseyounottrying."Shegavealittlehuffassheletgoofthesounddialandsatdownonthesofa.ThelittleChinesegirlsatdownalso,toplayanencoreof"Anitra'sTanz,"byGrieg.Irememberthesong,becauselateronIhadtolearnhowtoplayit.
ThreedaysafterwatchingtheEdSullivanShowmymothertoldmewhatmyschedulewouldbeforpianolessonsandpianopractice.ShehadtalkedtoMr.Chong,wholivedonthefirstfloorofourapartmentbuilding.Mr.Chongwasaretiredpianoteacher,andmymotherhadtradedhousecleaningservicesforweeklylessonsandapianoformetopracticeoneveryday,twohoursaday,fromfouruntilsix.
Whenmymothertoldmethis,IfeltasthoughIhadbeensenttohell.Iwhined,andthenkickedmyfootalittlewhenIcouldn'tstanditanymore."Whydon'tyoulikemethewayIam?
"Icried."I'mnotagenius!
Ican'tplaythepiano.AndevenifIcould,Iwouldn'tgoonTVifyoupaidmeamilliondollars!
"Mymotherslappedme."Whoaskyoutobegenius?
"sheshouted."Onlyaskyoubeyourbest.Foryousake.YouthinkIwantyoutobegenius?
Hnnh!
Whatfor!
Whoaskyou!
""Soungrateful,"IheardhermutterinChinese,"Ifshehadasmuchtalentasshehastemper,she'dbefamousnow."Mr.Chong,whomIsecretlynicknamedOldChong,wasverystrange,alwaystappinghisfingerstothesilentmusicofaninvisibleorchestra.Helookedancientinmyeyes.Hehadlostmostofthehaironthetopofhishead,andheworethickglassesandhadeyesthatalwayslookedtired.ButhemusthavebeenyoungerthatIthough,sincehelivedwithhismotherandwasnotyetmarried.ImetOldLadyChongonce,andthatwasenough.Shehadapeculiarsmell,likeababythathaddonesomethinginitspants,andherfingersfeltlikeadeadperson's,likeanoldpeachIoncefoundinthebackoftherefrigerator:
itsskinjustslidoffthefleshwhenIpickeditup.IsoonfoundoutwhyOldChonghadretiredfromteachingpiano.Hewasdeaf."LikeBeethoven!
"heshoutedtome:
We'rebothlisteningonlyinourhead!
"Andhewouldstarttoconducthisfranticsilentsonatas.Ourlessonswentlikethis.Hewouldopenthe
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