爱斯基摩人给雪取了三十个不同的名字。我说。我在一本书里读到的。

我有个表妹，拉切尔说，她有三个不同的名字。

世界上没有三十种不同的雪，露西说，只有两种。干净的和脏的，净雪和脏雪。只有两种。

世界上有亿万种雪，蕾妮说，没有两种看上去一模一样。可你怎么记得哪种是哪种？

她有三个名字，让我想想，还有两个姓。一个英语的，一个西班牙语的……

云至少有十个不同的名字。我说。

云的名字？蕾妮问。像你我一样的名字？

那上面那朵，那是积云。每个人都仰起头来看。

积云好可爱呀。拉切尔说。她只会说些这样的话。

那边那朵叫什么？蕾妮问，一个手指指着。

那也是积云。今天全都是积云。积云。积云。积云。

不。她说。那边那朵是南茜，或者叫猪眼。再那边是她的表弟米尔珏德，还有小乔伊、马可、妮雷达和淑儿。

世界上有各种各样的云。你能想起来多少种？

嗯，那边就有一些看上去像剃须泡沫的……

那些看上去像是你用梳子梳过它的毛的呢？是的，那些也是云。

菲力斯、特德、阿尔弗莱德和茱莉……

那边的云看上去像是大片的羊群。拉切尔说，它们我最爱。

别忘了雨云，下雨的云。我说。那也是很重要的云。

何塞、达戈贝尔托、阿莉西娅、劳尔、爱德娜、阿尔玛和里奇……

那边有那种宽宽的胖乎乎的云朵，有点像你没脱衣服就睡着以后醒来的脸。

雷纳尔多、安杰洛、阿尔伯特、阿曼多、马里奥……

不是我的脸。是像你的胖脸。

芮塔、玛吉、爱妮……

是谁的胖脸？

埃斯佩朗莎的胖脸，是她的。像埃斯佩朗莎早上上学去时难看的脸。

爱尼塔、斯妲拉、丹尼斯和萝萝……

你在说谁难看？难看吗？

芮奇、约兰达、赫克托、史蒂夫、文森特……

不是你。是你妈妈。是说她。

我妈妈？你最好别这么说，露西·格莱罗。你最好别这么说话……否则你就永远做不成我的朋友了。

我是说你妈妈难看，就像……嗯……

……像九月的光脚丫！

好吧！你们两个最好滚出我家院子，别等我叫我弟弟出来。

哦，我们只是说着玩的。

我可以想起三十个爱斯基摩词来说你，拉切尔。三十个骂你的名字。

哦，好，我能想起更多。

嘿，蕾妮。去拿扫帚来。今天我们家院子里垃圾太多了。

弗兰奇、里查、玛利亚、皮威……

蕾妮，你最好告诉你姐姐，她真是疯掉了，露西和我不会再来这里了。永远。

若吉、伊丽莎白、莉莎、路易……

蕾妮，随你做什么，可是如果想做我妹妹的话，最好别和露西或拉切尔讲话。

你知道你是什么吗，埃斯佩朗莎？你就像麦片上的奶油。你就像那些奶泡。

哦，那你就是脚虱，你就是。

小鸡嘴唇。

罗丝玛丽、达丽娅、莉莉……

蟑螂肉。

吉恩、天竺葵和乔……

冰菜豆。

咪咪、迈克尔、莫儿……

你妈妈的菜豆。

你的丑妈妈的脚指头。

蠢呀。

贝贝、布兰卡、宾尼……

谁蠢？

拉切尔、露西、埃斯佩朗莎和蕾妮。

And Some More

The Eskimos got thirty different names for snow, I say. I read it in a book.

I got a cousin, Rachel says. She got three different names.

There ain't thirty different kinds of snow, Lucy says. There are two kinds. The clean kind and the dirty kind, clean and dirty. Only two.

There are a million zillion kinds, says Nenny. No two exactly alike. Only how do you remember which one is which?

She got three last names and, let me see, two first names. One in English and one in Spanish……

And clouds got at least ten different names, I say.

Names for clouds? Nenny asks. Names just like you and me?

That up there, that's cumulus, and everybody looks up.

Cumulus are cute, Rachel says. She would say something like that.

What's that one there? Nenny asks, pointing a finger.

That's cumulus too. They're all cumulus today. Cumulus, cumulus, cumulus.

No, she says. That there is Nancy, otherwise known as Pig-eye. And over there her cousin Mildred, and little Joey, Marco, Nereida and Sue.

There are all different kinds of clouds. How many different kinds of clouds can you think of?

Well, there's these already that look like shaving cream……

And what about the kind that looks like you combed its hair? Yes, those are clouds too.

Phyllis, Ted, Alfredo and Julie……

There are clouds that look like big fields of sheep, Rachel says. Them are my favorite.

And don't forget nimbus the rain cloud, I add, that's something.

Jose and Dagoberto, Alicia, Raul, Edna, Alma and Rickey……

There's that wide puffy cloud that looks like your face when you wake up after falling asleep with all your clothes on.

Reynaldo, Angelo, Albert, Armando, Mario……

Not my face. Looks like your fat face.

Rita, Margie, Ernie……

Whose fat face?

Esperanza's fat face, that's who. Looks like Esperanza's ugly face when she comes to school in the morning.

Anita, Stella, Dennis, and Lolo……

Who you calling ugly, ugly?

Richie, Yolanda, Hector, Stevie, Vincent……

Not you. Your mama, that's who.

My mama? You better not be saying that, Lucy Guerrero. You better not be talking like that……else you can say goodbye to being my friend forever.

I'm saying your mama's ugly like……ummm……

……like bare feet in September！

That does it！Both of yous better get out of my yard before I call my brothers.

Oh, we're only playing.

I can think of thirty Eskimo words for you, Rachel. Thirty words that say what you are.

Oh yeah, well I can think of some more.

Uh-oh, Nenny. Better get the broom. Too much trash in our yard today.

Frankie, Licha, Maria, Pee Wee……

Nenny, you better tell your sister she is really crazy because Lucy and me are never coming back here again. Forever.

Reggie, Elizabeth, Lisa, Louie……

You can do what you want to do, Nenny, but you better not talk to Lucy or Rachel if you want to be my sister.

You know what you are, Esperanza? You are like the Cream of Wheat cereal. You're like the lumps.

Yeah, and you're foot fleas, that's you.

Chicken lips.

Rosemary, Dalia, Lily……

Cockroach jelly.

Jean, Geranium and Joe……

Cold frijoles.

Mimi, Michael, Moe……

Your mama's frijoles.

Your ugly mama's toes.

That's stupid.

Bebe, Blanca, Benny……

Who's stupid?

Rachel, Lucy, Esperanza, and Nenny.