TextSUPERMAN1heyearthewarbeganIwasinthefifthgradeattheAnnieF.WarrenGrammarSchoolinWinthrop,andTextthatwasthewinterIwontheprizefordrawingthebestCivilDefensesigns.ThatwasalsothewinterofPaulaBrown'snewsnowsuit,andevennow,13yearslater,Icanrecallthechangingcolorsofthosedays,clearanddefiniteasapatternseenthroughakaleidoscope.2Ilivedonthebaysideoftown,onJohnsonAvenue,oppositetheLoganAirport,andbeforeIwenttobedeachnight,IusedtokneelbythewestwindowofmyroomandlookoverthelightsofBostonthatblazedandblinkedfaroffacrossthedarkeningwater.TextThesunsetflaunteditspinkflagabovetheairport,andthesoundofwaveswaslostintheperpetualdroningoftheplanes.Imarveledatthemovingbeaconsontherunwayandwatched,untilitgrewcompletelydark,theflashingredandgreenlightsthatroseandsetintheskylikeshootingstars.TheairportwasmyMecca,myJerusalem.AllnightIdreamedofflying.Text3Thosewerethedaysofmytechnicolordreams.MotherbelievedthatIshouldhaveanenormousamountofsleep,andsoIwasneverreallytiredwhenIwenttobed.Thiswasthebesttimeoftheday,whenIcouldlieinthevaguetwilight,driftingofftosleep,makingupdreamsinsidemyheadthewaytheyshouldgo.MyflyingdreamswerebelievableasalandscapebyDali,sorealthatIwouldawakewithasuddenshock,abreathlesssenseofhavingtumbledlikeIcarusfromtheskyandcaughtmyselfonthesoftbedjustintime.Textroaringbyinhisshiningbluesuitwithhiscapewhistlinginthewind,lookingremarkablylikemyUncleFrankwhowaslivingwithmotherandme.InthemagicwhirlingofhiscapeIcouldhearthewingsofahundredseagulls,themotorsofathousandplanes.TextThesenightlyadventuresinspacebeganwhenSupermanstartedinvadingmydreamsandteachingmehowtofly.Heusedtocome4IwasnottheonlyworshipperofSupermaninourblock.DavidStirling,apale,bookishboywholiveddownthestreet,sharedmyloveforthesheerpoetryofflight.Beforesuppereverynight,welistenedtoSupermantogetherontheradio,andduringthedaywemadeupourownadventuresonthewaytoschool.Text5TheAnnieF.WarrenGrammarSchoolwasared-brickbuilding,setbackfromthemainhighwayonablacktarstreet,surroundedbybarrengravelplaygrounds.OutbytheparkinglotDavidandIfoundtheperfectalcoveforourSupermandramas.Thedingybackentrancetotheschoolwasdeep-setinalongpassagewaywhichwasanexcellentplaceforsurprisecapturesandsuddenrescues.Text6Duringrecess,DavidandIcameintoourown.Weignoredtheboysplayingbaseballonthegravelcourtandthegirlsgigglingatdodge-ballinthedell.OurSupermangamesmadeusoutlaws,yetgaveusasenseofwindysuperiority.Weevenfoundastand-inforavillaininSheldonFein,thesallowmamma'sboyonourblockwhowasleftoutoftheboys'gamesbecausehecriedwheneveranybodytaggedhimandalwaysmanagedtofalldownandskinhisfatknees.Text7Atfirst,wehadtopromptSheldoninhispart,butafterawhilehebecameanexpertoninventingtorturesandevencarriedthemoutinprivate,beyondthegame.Heusedtopullthewingsfromfliesandthelegsoffgrasshoppers,andkeepthebrokeninsectscaptiveinajarhiddenunderhisbedwherehecouldtakethemoutinsecretandwatchthemstruggling.DavidandIneverplayedwithSheldonexceptatrecess.Afterschoolwelefthimtohismammaandhisbonbonsandhishelplessinsects.Text8AtthetimemyUncleFrankwaslivingwithuswhilewaitingtobedrafted,andIwassurethatheboreanextraordinaryresemblancetoSupermanincognito.Davidcouldn'tseethelikenessasclearlyasIdid,butheadmittedthatUncleFrankwasthestrongestmanhehadeverknown,andcoulddolotsoftrickslikemakingcaramelsdisappearundernapkinsandwalkingonhishands.Text超人1战争爆发的那一年,我在温斯罗普的安妮·F.沃伦文法学校读五年级,那年冬天我获得了民防图标设计赛冠军。也就是在那个冬天,波拉·布朗买了新的防雪服,即便是13年后的今天,我仍然能清晰地记起那些精彩纷呈的日子,它们历历在目,犹如万花筒里看到的图案那样色彩斑斓。Text2我的家位于城里靠海湾的一侧,在洛根机场对面的约翰逊大道上。每天晚上睡觉前,我都会跪在卧室朝西的窗户旁,眺望黑幽幽的海水那边波士顿城明亮闪烁的灯光。Text夕阳将粉色的余晖洒在机场上空,浪涛的声音永远淹没在一架架飞机永无休止的嗡嗡声中。我惊奇地望着跑道上的移动信标,看着那些闪烁的红灯、绿灯像流星般升起、降落,直到机场变得一片漆黑为止。机场就是我的麦加,我的耶路撒冷。我整夜都在做梦,梦见自己在空中飞行。Text3那正是我梦想斑斓的岁月。妈妈认为我需要大量的睡眠,所以我每天上床睡觉时一点儿都不觉得累。那是一天中最美好的时光,我可以躺下,在昏暗的暮色中慢慢进入梦乡,脑子里制造出许多奇异的梦来。我的飞行梦像达利的风景画那么真实可信,以致于自己常常会在一阵惊吓中醒来,好像伊卡罗斯那样从天空中摔下来,虽然发现自己刚好掉到软软的床上,但也被吓得喘不过气来。Text当超人开始侵入我的梦乡,并教给我飞行的技巧之后,我每夜的太空冒险便开始了。超人身着耀眼的蓝色衣服,肩披随风飕飕作响的斗篷,经常从我身边呼啸而过。他长得太像我的舅舅弗兰克了,舅舅那会儿正跟妈妈和我住在一起。超人的斗篷神奇地旋转时,我好像能听见上百只海鸥的振翅声,上千架飞机的马达轰鸣声。Text4我不是这个街区里唯一的超人崇拜者,在街另一头,那个脸色苍白、有点书呆子气的男孩儿戴维·斯特令和我一样,热爱飞行的纯粹的诗意。每天晚饭前,我们一起收听电台的超人故事,白天在上学的路上,我们自己设计出各种各样的冒险活动。Text5安妮·F.沃伦文法学校是一座红砖楼,座落在远离主干道的一条黑色柏油街道上,学校四周是光秃秃的铺着碎石的操场。戴维和我发现学校外面停车场附近有一个角落,那里是我们玩超人游戏的绝佳场所。那条长长的过道通向学校又黑又脏的后门,非常适合玩意外抓捕和快速解救的游戏。Text6课间休息时,我和戴维可以大展身手了。我们对在碎石操场上打棒球的男孩儿们视而不见,也不搭理那些在小山谷里一边玩躲球游戏一边咯咯傻笑的女孩儿们。超人游戏让我们变得像两个逃犯似的,但也给了我们一种虚幻的优越感,我们甚至找谢尔登·费恩来充当恶棍。他是街区里一个脸色苍白、胆小怕事的孩子,没有男孩儿愿意和他玩,因为一有人追他他就哭,而且老是自己摔倒在地,擦伤他那胖胖的膝盖。Text7一开始我们还得教谢尔登怎么扮演他的角色,可没过多久他就变成了一位发明虐刑的专家,甚至私下里悄悄实施他的刑罚。他常常扯下苍蝇的翅膀,揪掉蚱蜢的腿,并把这些残废了的昆虫囚禁在瓶子里,藏到床底下,这样他就可以偷偷把它们拿出来,看着它们痛苦挣扎的样子。戴维和我只在课间休息的时候和谢尔登玩,放学后我们就让他回家跟他的妈妈、棒棒糖以及那些无助的昆虫为伴。Text8那时候,弗兰克舅舅住在我们家,等着参军。我肯定他和隐姓埋名的超人长得特别像。戴维却看不出我舅舅和超人有多么相像,但他承认弗兰克舅舅是他这辈子所见过的最强壮的人,而且他会变很多戏法,比如用餐巾一盖上糖果,糖就没了,他还能倒立行走。TextWords&PhrasesgrammarschoolkaleidoscopedarkendronerunwaytwilightbreathlesstumbledriftshootingstarmarvelflauntblazesnowsuitnightlybelievabletechnicolorbeaconperpetualblinkdefinitecapebookishbarrenalcovepoetrywhirldingytarworshipperWords&Phrasespassagewayrecessgiggledodgedodgeballdelloutlawbonbongrasshoppertortureprompttagsallowvillai