奇书网

第54章 家书 1（第1页）

第54章家书（1）

AllMum'sLetters

佚名Anonymous

TothisdayIremembermymum’sletters。ItallstartedinDecember1941。EveryhebigtableidwrotetomybrotherJohnny，whohadbeesummer。WehadnotheardfromhimsiheJapaackedPearlHarbor。

IdidandwhymymumkeptwritingJohnnywheeback。

“Waitaaletterfromhimoneday，”sheclaimed。MumsaidthattherewasadirekfromthebraienwordthatwasjustasstroGodhasgrantedus。ShetrustedthatthislightwouldfindJohnny。

Idon’tkhattocalmherself，dadorallofusdown。ButIdoknoedussticktogether，andonedayaletterreallydidarrive。JohnnywasaliveonanislandinthePacific。

Ihadalwaysbeehefactthatmumsigers，“CeciliaCapuzzi”，andIteasedheraboutthat。“Whydon’tyoujustwrite‘Mum’？”Isaid。

IhadhatshealwaysthoughtofherselfasCeciliaotasMum。Ibeganseeingheri，thissmalldelian，whoeveninhigh-heeledshoeswasbarelyoneandahalfmeterstall。

Sheneverorjewelryexceptforaweddingringofgold。Herhairwasfine，sleekandbladalinaknotinthehearofgettingahair。Hersmallsilver-rimmedpinlylefthernosewheobed。

Whenevermumhadfier，shegaveittodadforhimtopostit。Thehewaterontoboil，adowableahegoodolddayswhenourItalian-Amerifamilyhadbeenafamilyoften：mum，dada。Fiveboysandthreegirls。Itishardtouhattheyhadallmovedawayfromhometowork，enrollinthearmy，etmarried。Allexceptme。

Arouspringmumhadgottwomoresonstowritetshewrotethreediffereerswhichshegavetomeanddadafterwardssowecouldadds。

Littlebylittletherumouraboutmum’slettersspread。Onedayasmallwomaourdoor。Hervoicetrembledassheasked：“Isittrueyouwriteletters？”

“Iwritetomysons。”

“Andyoureadtoo？”whisperedthe>

“Sure。”

Theenedherbagaapileofairmailletters。“Read。。。pleasereadthemaloudtome。”

&erswerefromthewoman’ssonwhowasasoldierinEurope，ared-hairedboywhomumrememberedhaviingwithhisbrothersoairsinfrontofourhouse。MumreadthelettersorahemfromEnglishtoItalian。Thewoman’seyeswelledupwithtears。“etohim，”shesaid。Buthowwasshegoingtodoit？

“Makesomecoffee，Octavia，”mumyelledtomeinthelivingroomwhileshetookthewomahekitdseatedheratthetable。Shetookthefountainpen，inkandairmailnantowrite。Whenshehadfinished，shereadtheletteraloudtothe

“HowdidyouknowthatwasexactlywhatIwaosay？”

“Ioftensitandlookatmyboys’letters，justlikeyou，withoutaclueaboutwhattowrite。”

Afewdayslaterthewomahafrieheroheroheyallhadsonswhofoughtinthewar，andtheyallers。Mumhadbeethedentinourpartoftowimesshewouldwritelettersalldaylong。

Mumalwaysipeoplesigheirowhesmallwomanwiththegreyhairaskedmumtoteachherhowtodoit。“Isomuttobeabletowritemyowmysohehewoman’shandinhersandmovedherhahepaperagainandagainuntilshewasabletodoitwithoutherhelp。

&day，whenmumhadwrittehewoman，shesigherself，andherfacebrightenedupinasmile。