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ty every night by the mailbox outside the Airport Hotel； which is right inside the airport。 While I pretend to mail a letter； he slips the money into my purse。 He's got a partner who's supposed to be watching him； but Marty can always get away for a minute to go to the men's room。 What I can't understand is why those passengers out there hand him fives and tens； and sometimes a twenty； just because he asks for it。 He says they're afraid not to； that they're all guilty about something they've done bad。 But he sure collects a lot of money on a twelve…hour shift out there。〃
The waitress brought their Circe Salads： large chunks of romaine lettuce； orange slices； bean and wheat sprouts； shredded coconut； a blob of vanilla yogurt； and a topping of grated sugar…cane sawdust soaked in ginseng。 The salad was served in a porcelain bowl in the shape of a giant clam shell。
〃I've never eaten in a health food restaurant before。〃
〃Me neither； till I came to Miami。 You don't have to eat it if you don't like it。〃
〃I don't like the ginseng root。 Do they put it in everything here？〃
〃Just about。 It's supposed to make you feel sexy； so they use ginseng because they don't serve meat here。 That's the reason； I think。〃
〃I'd rather have meat。 This would be all right without the ginseng taste。 How'd you do this afternoon？〃
〃Fifty dollars。 One Colombian； and an old man from Dayton； Ohio。 Counting all those clothes you gave me； it was a good day for me。 Besides； I got to meet you。 You're the nicest man I've ever met。〃
〃I think you're nice； too。〃
〃Your hands are just beautiful。〃
〃Nobody ever told me that before。 Here…take the rest of my salad。〃
〃You didn't even try the yogurt。〃
〃Yogurt？ I thought it was soured ice cream。〃
〃No； it's yogurt。 It's supposed to taste a little sour。〃
〃I don't like it。〃
〃I'm sorry； Junior。 I guess I should've had you meet me at the Burger King。 It's right across from the school。〃
〃I'm not that hungry。 I had a club sandwich in my room； before I bought these new clothes。〃
〃Your blue shirt matches your eyes。 Did you buy it because it matched your eyes？〃
〃No。 I liked the extra pockets。 It's too hot to wear a jacket； and I need the pockets。 Is it always this hot？〃
〃It's only about eighty…five。 That's normal for October。 In the summer it gets really hot； especially up in Okeechobee。 And then there're mosquitoes； too。 It gets so hot you can't do anything even if you wanted to。 When you go out to a drive…in movie at night； all you do is sweat and drink beer and spray Cutter's。〃
〃Cutter's？〃
〃That's mosquito spray； and it really works； too。 Oh； they'll still buzz around your ears； but they won't land on you…not if you spray on enough Cutter's。 There's another brand； when you spray too much on； you get a rash。 But you don't care about the rash； because you've already got a rash from prickly heat。 We better pay and go to class。〃
〃I'll pay。 Give me the ticket。〃
〃No； it's my treat。 If you want to； you can go to class with me。 It's air…conditioned； and Professor Turner won't mind。 He'll think you're a member of the class anyway。 He told us that he doesn't learn our names。 He finds out the names of the A and F students soon enough； he says； and the rest of us don't matter。 I'm only a C student in English； so he's never even called on me yet。〃
There were thirty…five students in the class； thirty…six； counting Freddy； who took the last seat in the row by the back wall； behind Susan。 There were no windows； and the walls； except for the green blackboard； were covered with cork。 The city noises were shut out pletely。 The students； mostly Latins and blacks； were silent as they watched the teacher write 〃Haiku〃 on the green board with a piece of orange chalk。 The teacher； a heavy…set and bearded man in his late forties； did not take roll； he had just waited for silence before writing on the board。
〃Haiku；〃 he said； in a well…trained voice； 〃is a seventeensyllable poem that the Japanese have been writing for several centuries。 I don't speak Japanese； but as I understand haiku； pronounced 〃ha…ee…koo〃； much of the beauty is lost in the translation from Japanese to English。
〃English isn't a good language for rhymes。 Three…quarters of the poetry written in English is unrhymed because of the paucity of rhyming words。 Unhappily for you Spanish…speaking students； you have so many words ending in vowels； you have the difficulty in reverse。
〃At any rate； here is a haiku in English。〃
He wrote on the board：
The Miami sun；
Rising in the Everglades…
Burger in a bun。
〃This haiku；〃 he continued； 〃which I made up in Johnny Raffa's bar before I came to class； is a truly rotten poem。 But I assure you I had no help with it。 Basho； the great Japanese poet； if he knew English and if he were still alive； would positively detest it。 But he would recognize it as a haiku because it has five syllables in the first line； seven in the second； and five in the third。 Add them up and you have seventeen syllables； all you need for a haiku； and all of them concentrating on a penetrating idea。
〃You're probably thinking； those of you who wonder 。about things like this； why am I talking about Japanese poetry？ I'll tell you。 I want you to write simple sentences…subject； verb； object。 I want you to use concrete words that convey exact meanings。
〃I know you Spanish…speaking students don't know many Anglo…Saxon words； but that's because you persist in speaking Spanish to one another outside of class instead of practicing English。 Except for giving you Fs on your papers； I can't help you much there。 But when you write your papers； pore… 〃p…or…e〃 …over your dictionaries for concrete words。 When you write in English； force your reader to reach for something。〃
There was a snicker at the back of the room。
〃Basho wrote haikus in the seventeenth century； and they're still being read and talked about in Japan today。 There are a couple of hundred haiku magazines in Japan； and every month articles are still being written about Basho's most famous haiku。 I'll give you the literal translation instead of a seventeen…syllable translation。〃
He wrote on the blackboard：
Old pond。
Frog jumps in。
Water sound。
〃There you have it；〃 Mr。 Turner said； scratching his beard with the piece of chalk。 〃Old pond。 Frog jumps in。 Water sound。 What's missing； of course； is the onomatopoeia of the water sound。 But the meaning is clear enough。 What does it mean？〃
He looked around the room but was unsuccessful in catching anyone's eye。 The students； with sullen mouths and lowered lids； studied books and papers on their armrest desk tops。
〃I can wait；〃 Mr。 Turner said。 〃You know me well enough by now to know that I can wait for a volunteer for about fifteen minutes before my patience runs out。 I wish I could wait longer； because while I'm waiting for volunteers I don't have to teach。〃 He folded his arms。
A young man wearing cut…off jeans； a faded blue tank top； and scuffed running shoes without socks； lifted his right hand two inches above his desk top。
〃You； then；〃 the teacher said； pointing with his chalk。
〃What it means； I think；〃 the student began； 〃is that there's an old pond of water。 This frog； wanting to get into the water； es along and jumps in。 When he plops into the water he makes a sound； like splash。〃
〃Very good！ That's about as literal an interpretation as you can get。 But if that's all there is to the poem； why would serious young men in Japan write papers about this poem every month in their haiku magazines？ But； thank you。 At least we have the literal translation out of the way。
〃Now； let's say that Miami represents the old pond。 You； or most of you； anyway； came here from somewhere else。 You e to Miami； that is； and you jump into this old pond。 We've got a million and a half people here already； so the splash you make isn't going to make a very large sound。 Or is it？ It surely depends upon the frog。 Some of you； I'm afraid； will make a very large splash； and we'll all hear it。 Some will make a splash so faint that it won't be heard by your next door neighbor。 But at least we're all in the same pond； and…〃
There was a knock on the door。 Annoyed； Mr。 Turner crossed to the door and opened it。 Freddy leaned forward and whispered to Susan。 〃That's some pretty heavy shit he's laying down。 D'you know what he's talking about？〃
Susan shook her head。
〃Us！ You； your brother； and me。 What's that other word mean he keeps talking about…〃onomatopoeia？〃〃
〃It's the word for the actual sound。 Like 〃splash〃； when the frog jumps in。〃
〃Right！ See what I mean？〃 Freddy's eyes glittered。 〃You and me； Susan。 We're going to make us a big splash in this town。〃
6
Professor Turner stepped back into the room and cleared his throat。 〃Is Susan Waggoner here today？〃
Susan raised her hand。
〃e out into the hallway； please。 Bring your things with you。〃
Susan put her books into her oversize bag。 Freddy followed her into the corridor； carrying the laundry bag。 The teacher frowned at Freddy and shook his head。
〃This doesn't