第30章 别在头发上的花儿 1（第1页）

第30章别在头发上的花儿（1）

TheFlowerinHerHair

贝蒂·Ｂ。杨斯BettieB。Youngs

Shealwaysworeaflowerinherhair。Always。MostlyIthoughtitle。Aflowerinmidday？Towork？Toprofessioings？Sheiringgraphierinthelarge，busyofficewhereIworked。Everydayshe’dsailintotheofficewithitsextra-moderncrispdécaflowerinhershthhair。Usuallycolor—atedwithherotherwisesuitableattire，itbloomed，asmallparasolofvividhelargebackdropofdarkbruhereweretimes，likeatthepanyChristmasparty，wherethefloweraddedatouchoffestivityandseemedappropriate。Buttowork，itjustseemedoutofplaore“professionally-miheofficewerepractidignantaboutit，andthoughtsomeootakeherasideandihe“rules”iakenseriously”inthebusinessworld。us，myselfihoughtitjustanoddquirk。

Tomyknowledgenooheyoungwomanastowhyafloaoworkeafact，weprobablywouldhavebeenmoreioquestionherhadsheshownupwithoutit。

Whichshedidoneday。Whenshedeliveredaprojeyoffice，Iqueried。“Ihereisnoflowerinyourhairtoday，”Isaidcasually，“I’msousedtoseeihatitalmostseemsasifsomethingismissing。”

“Oh，yes，”sherepliedquietly，iohisarturefromherusualbrightandperkypersonality。Thefolledmetoask，“Areyouokey？”ThoughIingfora“Yes，I’mfine。”respoively，Ikreadedohihanamissingflower。

“Oh，”shesaidsoftly，ressiohreandsorrow。“Todayistheanniversaryofmymother’sdeath。Imisshersomuch。IguessI’mabitblue。”

“Iuand，”Isaid，feelingpassiowantioemotionalwaters。“I’msureit’sverydifficultforyoutotalkabout，”Iued，thebusiofmehopingshewouldagree，butmyheartuandingthattherewasmore。

“No，it’sokay，really。IknowthatI’mextraordioday。Thisisaday，Isuppose。Yousee。。。”aellmethestory。

“Mymotherknewshewaslosiotually，shedied。Iwas15atthetime。Wewereveryclose。Shewassoloving，sogiving。Becausesheknewshewasdying，sheprerecordedabirthdaymessageIwastowatcheveryyearonmybirthday，fromage16untilIreached25。Todayismy25thbirthday，andthismIwatchedthevideoshepreparedforthisday。IguessI’mstilldigestingit。Andwishingshe

“Well，myheartgoesouttoyou，”Isaid，reallyfeelidealofempathyforher。

“Thankyouforyourkindness，”shesaid。“Oh，andaboutthemissingfloweryouaskedabout。WhenIwasalittlegirl，mymotherwouldoftenputflowersinmyhair。Onedaywhehehospital，Itookherthisbeautifullargerardeuptohernosesosheellit，shetookitfromme，andwithoutsayingaword，pulledmeclosetmyhairandbrushingitfrommyface，plamyhair，justasshehaddonewhenIwaslittle。Shediedlaterthatday。”Tearscametohereyesassheadded，“I’vejustalwayswornaflowerinmyhairsimademefeelasthoughshewerewithme，ifonlyinspirit。But，”shesighed，“today，asIwatchedthevideodesighisbirthday，initshesaidshewassorryfornotbeihereasIgreedshehadbeenagoodparent，andthatshewouldlikeasignthatIwasbeingselfsuffit。That’sthewaymymhtthewayshetalked。”Shelookedatme，smilingfondlyatthememory，“Shewassowise。”

In，“Yes，shesoundsverywise。”