Thatsummeranarmyofcrickets(蟋蟀)startedawarwithmyfather.DadcaredforinsectsnomorethanMamma,buthecouldtolerateafewlivinginthebasement.Mammawasacitygirlandshesaidacricketwasjusttoonoisy.Thentosupportherpointshewouldn’tgotobed.Shedrankcoffeeandsmokedmyfather’scigarettesandpacedbetweenthesofaandtheTV.Nextmorningshethreatenedtopackupandleave,soDaddrovetothestoreandhurriedback.Hesprayedpoisonfromajug.Whenhewasfinishedhetoldusthatwastheendofit.
Foracoupleofweekswewentbacktofinddeadcricketsinthelaundry.Hesuggestedthatwe’dallbebetterofftohideasmanyaswecouldfromMamma.IfedafewdozentothecatwhoIdidn’tlikebecausehescratchedfornoreason.
However,soonlivecricketsstartedshowingupinthekitchenandbathroom.Mammawasupestbecauseshethoughttheywerethedeadcricketscomingback,butDadsaidthesewerecertainlynewones.Hefetchedhisjugofposionandsprayedalloveruntilthewholehousesmelledofposion,andthenhesprayedthebasementagain.
Acoupleofweekslater,whenbothliveanddeadcricketskeptturningup,Dademptiedthebasementofjunk.Thenheburnedalotofoldnewspapersandmagazineswhichhesaidthecricketshadturnedintonests.
Whileweatesupperthatevening,thewindliftedsomeflamesontothewoodpile.Theonlygasolinewasinthelawnmower’s(割草机)fueltankbutthatwasenoughtocreateanexplosionbigenoughtoreachthehouse.Oncetheroofcaught,therewasn’tmuchanyonecoulddo.
Afterthefiretrucksleft,MammatooktheotherstoAuntGail’s.IhelpedDadandUncleBurtcarrythingsoutofthehouseandpilethembytheroad.Weworkedintothenightandwedidn’ttalkmuch,whileallaroundthenoiseofcricketsbrokeoursilence.
小题1:Whatdoweknowabouttheauthor’smother?