第5部分(第6/7 页)

re　than　the　sum　of　its　parts；”　he　would　tell　me；　and　then　go　on　to

explain　how　the　cow　by　itself　is　just　a　cow；　and　the　meadow

by　itself　is　just　grass　and　flowers；　and　the　sun　peeking　through　the　trees　is　just　a　beam　of

light；　but　put　them　all　together　and　you've　got　magic。

I　understood　what　he　was　saying；　but　I　never　felt　what　he　was　saying　until　one　day　when　I

was　up　in　the　sycamore　tree。

The　sycamore　tree　had　been　at　the　top　of　the　hill　forever。　It　was　on　a　big　vacant　lot；　giving

shade　in　the　summer　and　a　place　for　birds　to　nest　in　the

spring。　It　had　a　built…in　slide　for　us；　too。　Its　trunk　bent　up　and　around　in　almost　a　plete

spiral；　and　it　was　so　much　fun　to　ride　down。　My　mom　told

me　she　thought　the　tree　must　have　been　damaged　as　a　sapling　but　survived；　and　now；

maybe　a　hundred　years　later；　it　was　still　there；　the　biggest

tree　she'd　ever　seen。　“A　testimony　to　endurance”　is　what　she　called　it。

I　had　always　played　in　the　tree；　but　I　didn't　bee　a　serious　climber　until　the　fifth　grade；

when　I　went　up　to　rescue　a　kite　that　was　stuck　in　its

branches。　I'd　first　spotted　the　kite　floating　free　through　the　air　and　then　saw　it　dive…bomb

somewhere　up　the　hill　by　the　sycamore　tree。

I've　flown　kites　before　and　I　know—sometimes　they're　gone　forever；　and　sometimes　they're

just　waiting　in　the　middle　of　the　road　for　you　to　rescue

them。　Kites　can　be　lucky　or　they　can　be　ornery。　I've　had　both　kinds；　and　a　lucky　kite　is

definitely　worth　chasing　after。

This　kite　looked　lucky　to　me。　It　wasn't　anything　fancy；　just　an　old…fashioned　diamond　with

blue　and　yellow　stripes。　But　it　stuttered　along　in　a　friendly

way；　and　when　it　dive…bombe