小说园

情感午餐袋 what y daughter taught abut lve（第1页）

罗伯特富尔古姆

RobertFulghum

Thecardboardboxismarked“TheGoodStuff”。Theboxcontainsthoseoddsandendsofersonaltreasuresthathavesurvivedmanyboutsofclean-it-out-and-throw-it-awaythatseizemefromtimetotime。Athieflookingintotheboxwouldnottakeanything。Butifthehouseevercatchesonfire，theboxgoeswithmewhenIrun。

Oneofthekeesakesintheboxisasmallaerbag。Lunchsize。Thoughthetoissealedwithducttae，stalesandseveralaerclis，thereisaraggedriinonesidethroughwhichthecontentsmaybeseen。

Thisarticularlunchsackhasbeeninmycareformaybe14years。Butitreallybelongstomydaughter，Molly。Soonaftershecameofschoolage，shebecameanenthusiasticarticiantinackinglunchesforherself，herbrothersandme。Eachbaggotashareofsandwiches，ales，milkmoneyandsometimesanoteoratreat。Onemorning，Mollyhandedmetwobags。Oneregularlunchsackandtheonewiththeducttaeandstalesandaerclis。

“Whytwobags?”

“Theotheroneissomethingelse。”

“Whatsinit?”

“Justsomestuff-takeitwithyou。”Istuffedbothsacksintomybriefcase，kissedthechildandrushedoff。

Atmidday，whilehurriedlyscarfingdownmyreallunch，ItoreoenMollysbagandshookoutthecontents。Twohairribbons，threesmallstones，alasticdinosaur，aencilstub，atinyseashell，twoanimalcrackers，amarble，ausedlistick，asmalldoll，twochocolatekissesand13ennies。

Ismiled。Howcharming。Risingtohustleoff，Iswetthedeskcleanintothewastebasket-leftoverlunch，Mollysjunkandall。TherewasntanythinginthereIneeded。

ThateveningMollycametostandbesidemewhileIwasreadingtheaer。

“Wheresmybag?”

“Whatbag?”

“Youknow，theoneIgaveyouthismorning。”

“Ileftitattheoffice，why?”

“Iforgottoutthisnoteinit。”Shehandedoverthenote，“Besides，Iwantitback。”

“Why?”

“Thosearemythingsinthesack，Daddy，theonesIreallylike。Ithoughtyoumightliketolaywiththem，butnowIwantthemback。Youdidntlosethebag，didyou，Daddy?”Tearsuddledinhereyes。

“Oh，no。Ijustforgottobringithome，”Ilied，“Bringittomorrow。Okay?”

Asshehuggedmyneckwithrelief，Iunfoldedthenotethathadnotgottenintothesack，“Iloveyou，Daddy。”

Oh。Anduh-oh。

Ilookedlongatthefaceofmychild。

Mollyhadgivenmehertreasures。Allthata7-year-oldhelddear。Loveinaaersack。AndIhadmissedit。Notonlymissedit，buthadthrownitawaybecause“therewasntanythinginthereIneeded。”

ItwasntthefirstorthelasttimeIfeltmyDaddyermitwasabouttorunout。

Itwasalongtribacktotheoffice。Theilgrimageofaenitent。Iickeduthewastebasketandouredthecontentsonmydesk。Iwassortingitalloutwhenthejanitorcameintodohischores。

“Losesomething?”

“Yes，mymind。”

“Itsrobablyinthere，allright。Whatsitlooklike，andIllhelyoufindit。”Istartednottotellhim。ButIcouldntfeelanymoreofafoolthanIwasalreadyinfact，soItoldhim。

Hedidntlaugh。“Igotkids，too。”Sothebrotherhoodoffoolssearchedthetrashandfoundthejewels，andhesmiledatmeandIsmiledathim。

Afterwashingthemustardoffthedinosaurandsrayingthewholethingwithbreathfreshenertokillthesmellofonions，Icarefullysmoothedoutthewaddedballofbrownaerintoasemifunctionalbagandutthetreasuresinside。Icarriedithomegingerly，likeaninjuredkitten。Thenextevening，IreturnedittoMolly。Noquestionsasked，noexlanationsoffered。

AfterdinnerIaskedhertotellmeaboutthestuffinthesack，andsoshetookitalloutaieceatatimeandlacedtheobjectsinarowonthediningroomtable。Everythinghadastory，amemoryorwasattachedtodreamsandimaginaryfriends。Imanagedtosay，“Isee”verywiselyseveraltimes。And，asamatteroffact，Ididsee。

Tomysurrise，Mollygavethebagtomeonceagainseveraldayslater。Samerattybag。Samestuffinside。Ifeltforgiven。Andtrusted。Andloved。AndalittlemorecomfortablewearingthetitleofFather。Overseveralmonths，thebagwentwithmefromtimetotime。ItwasnevercleartomewhyIdidordidnotgetitonagivenday。