昨天

By+M.Stanley+Bubien

Jimmy sat on the park bench. He looked left， then right. Bouncing the rubber ball against the sidewalk， he caught it each time as it rebounded. But this held his attention only briefly， and he again looked left，thenright.“Theywerehere yesterday，”he said in his most reassuring voice. He resumed bouncing the ball， recalling that， yesterday， it had been almost exactly like this. He sat in this same spot all right， but the ball—it had rolled up against his feet.

“Hey kid！”the boy had yelled.“Throw it！ Over here！”Jimmy picked it up and looked toward the voice. The boy was off in the distance， standing beside two golden retrievers and a tall man wearing a baseball cap. The man slapped the boy on the back—who immediately charged toward Jimmy at full speed， the animals bouncing along at his heels.

Skidding to a stop， the boy panted，“Thanks for getting it.”And held out his hand.“Youre welcome，”Jimmy told him， handing the ball over. Instantly， the boy spun and threw the ball in a high arc toward the man. The two dogs bounded after it with a sharp yelp.

“My names Steve，”the boy said.“Im Jimmy.”One of the dogs paws slapped onto the seat and dropped the ball next to Jimmy.“Wow！”the boy named Steve said， clapping his hands together，“He likes you！”Mouth open and tongue lolling to the side， the dog panted against Jimmys face. Jimmy reached out hesitantly and touched his beautiful golden coat. It was so soft.“Come on，”Steve interrupted impatiently，“throw him the ball.”

“Okay，”Jimmy replied， grabbing the soggy， tooth！ pocked rubber ball from the bench. He stood， bent his arm back， and flung it as far as he could. It landed away before the man. Jimmy whistled a few notes as the man chased after it. The dogs stumbling over each other trying to beat him to it. The man， however， made it there first.

He came toward the boys， dogs in tow， and when he arrived， he asked，“Whos your new friend， Steve？”“This is Jimmy.”“Pleased to meet you， son，”the man said，holding out his hand. Jimmy looked at the mans open palm. He couldnt remember another adult ever offering a handshake before. With a shrug， Jimmy grasped the mans hand and shook with as much fervency and dignity as he could muster.

“Im Mr. Lincoln. By the way， nice throw. Your father taught you that？”“Nah，”Jimmy replied.“My dad doesnt have time for this stuff.”Then the man said，“Well， youve got quite an arm. I bet you could throw a ball twice as far.”

“Oh， come on，”Jimmy replied， covering his eyes.“I mean it.”He glanced at his son.“Steve， run out there so we can toss you a couple.”“Okay！”Steve sped away， the dogs yelping enthusiastically after him.

“Now， son，”Mr. Lincoln said，“try this.”He cocked his arm all the way back and sprung it forward from the elbow. He repeated the movement in slow motion so Jimmy could see better.“Just like that.”

He placed the ball in Jimmys hand. It felt awkward the few times Jimmy practiced without releasing the ball. Steves father stood behind him， adjusting a shoulder here， a foot there， until finally saying，“Okay， son， give it a shot.”Jimmy did， throwing the ball clean over Steves head.“See！”Mr. Lincoln cried， messing Jimmys hair.

The rest of the afternoon， they tossed the ball back and forth， playing catch， alternating between keep！away and fetch with the dogs. Eventually， Steves dad looked at his watch and announced，“Well guys， Steve and I have to get going.”He wrenched a ball from the mouth of one of the dogs， and， after wiping it on his shirt， handed it to Jimmy.“Here， why dont you keep this？ That way you can practice your throw.”

Yesterday. That was yesterday. Jimmy sighed to himself， catching the ball off the last bounce. And today was almost over.

吉米坐在公园的长椅上，左看看，右看看。他向人行道上弹着橡皮球，球每次弹回来他都能接到。但是，这只是短暂地吸引了他的注意力，他又开始左看看，右看看。“他们昨天在这儿的。”他尽最大努力安慰着自己。他继续弹着橡皮球，回忆着，昨天的情景差不多就是这样。他就坐在同一个位置，但球———是滚到他的脚边来的。

“嘿，少年！”那个男孩喊道，“扔一下球！扔到这儿来！”吉米捡起球，朝声音的方向望去。远处的男孩站在两只金毛犬的身边，旁边还有一个戴着棒球帽的高个子男人。男人拍了拍男孩的背，那个男孩立刻全速向吉米冲来，两只金毛犬紧跟着男孩跑着跳着。

男孩在地上滑行着停了下来，气喘吁吁地说：“谢谢你捡到球。”然后伸出了手。“不客气。”吉米说着，把球递了过去。男孩立即转身，将球抛出一个高高的弧度，球旋转着飞向那个男人。两只狗尖叫着，追着球蹦蹦跳跳地跑。

“我叫史蒂夫。”男孩说道。“我是吉米。”其中一只狗用爪子拍打着长椅，将球放在吉米的旁边。“哇！”叫史蒂夫的男孩拍手说道，“它喜欢你！”那只狗张着嘴，舌头耷拉在嘴边，冲着吉米的脸上呼气。吉米犹豫地伸出手，摸了摸它漂亮的金色毛发。真柔软。“快点，”史蒂夫不耐烦地打断他，“把球扔给它。”

“好。”吉米答道，从长椅上抓起那个湿漉漉的满是牙印的橡皮球。他站起来，手臂向后张开，然后扔出了他能扔的最远距离。球落在了那个男人面前的某处。男人追球的时候，吉米打了几声呼哨。两只狗争着抢着想要赶在男人的前面追上球。然而，还是男人先拿到了球。

他向史蒂夫和吉米走过来，两只狗紧跟在后面。走到他们面前的时候，男人问道：“你的新朋友叫什么，史蒂夫？”“这是吉米。”“很高兴见到你，孩子。”男人说着伸出了一只手。吉米看着男人伸出的手掌，他记不起来以前有哪个大人曾经主动要跟他握手了。吉米耸耸肩，抓住男人的手，尽可能热情而体面地握着。

“我是林肯先生。对了，你刚才扔得很好。是你父亲教你的吗？”“不是，”吉米回答道，“我爸爸顾不上这种事。”随后男人说道：“嗯，你的手臂很有力。我敢说你能扔出两倍远的距离。”

“噢，别开玩笑了。”吉米说着垂下了眼帘。“我是说真的。”他扫了兒子一眼，“史蒂夫，跑到那边去，好让我们能扔两倍远的距离到你跟前。”“好的！”史蒂夫飞快地离开了，两只狗热情地跟在他后面叫着。

“现在，孩子，”林肯先生说道，“试试这样扔。”他向后抡圆了手臂，然后猛地将小臂向前甩出。他用慢动作重复了一遍，以便吉米能看得更清楚。“就像这样。”

他把球放在吉米的手中。吉米试了几次，没有将球扔出去，感觉动作很别扭。史蒂夫的爸爸站在他身后，这里调整一下他的肩膀，那里调整一下他的脚步，最后终于说道：“好了，孩子，扔吧。”吉米扔了，球干净利落地飞过了史蒂夫的头顶。“看吧！”林肯先生一边大叫，一边揉着吉米的头发。

那个下午接下来的时间里，他们来来回回地扔球，和狗狗们一起玩传球的游戏，交替防守和接球。最后，史蒂夫的爸爸看了看手表，说：“好了，孩子们，史蒂夫和我该走了。”他把球从一只狗的嘴巴里夺过来，在衬衫上擦了擦，然后递给了吉米。“嘿，你拿着这个球吧。这样你就可以练习抛球了。”

昨天，那是昨天的事，吉米暗自叹了一口气，接住了弹跳的球。今天就快要过完了。