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Chapter1[]OncewhenIwassixyearsoldIsawamagnificentpictureinabook,calledTrueStoriesfromNature,abouttheprimevalforest.itwasapictureofaboaconstrictorintheactofswallowingananimal.Hereisacopyofthedrawing:Inthebookitsaid:Boaconstrictorsswallowtheirpreywhole,withoutchewingit.Afterthattheyarenotabletomove,andtheysleepthroughthesixmonthsthattheyneedfordigestion.Ipondereddeeply,then,overtheadventuresofthejungle.AndaftersomeworkwithacolouredpencilIsucceededinmakingmyfirstdrawing.MyDrawingNumberOne.Itlookedlikethis:1Ishowedmymasterpiecetothegrown-ups,andaskedthemwhetherthedrawingfrightenedthem.Buttheyanswered:Frighten?Whyshouldanyonebefrightenedbyahat?Mydrawingwasnotapictureofahat.Itwasapictureofaboaconstrictordigestinganelephant.Butsincethegrown-upswerenotabletounderstandit,Imadeanotherdrawing.Idrewtheinsideoftheboaconstrictor,sothatthegrown-upscouldseeitclearly.Theyalwaysneedtohavethingsexplained.MyDrawingNumberTwolookedlikethis:2Thegrown-upsresponse,thistime,wastoadvisemetolayasidemydrawingsofboaconstrictors,whetherfromtheinsideortheoutside,anddevotemyselfinsteadtogeography,history,arithmeticandgrammar.Thatiswhy,attheageofsix,Igaveupwhatmighthavebeenamagnificentcareerasapainter.IhadbeendisheartenedbythefailureofmyDrawingNumberOneandmyDrawingNumberTwo.Grown-upsneverunderstandanythingbythemselves,anditistiresomeforchildrentobealwaysandforeverexplainingthingstothem.12SothenIchoseanotherprofession,andlearnedtopilotaeroplanes.Ihaveflownalittleoverallpartsoftheworld;anditistruethatgeographyhasbeenveryusefultome.AtaglanceIcandistinguishChinafromArizona.Ifonegetslostinthenight,suchknowledgeisvaluable.InthecourseofthislifeIhavehadagreatmanyencounterswithagreatmanypeoplewhohavebeenconcernedwithmattersofconsequence.Ihavelivedagreatdealamonggrown-ups.Ihaveseenthemintimately,closeathand.Andthathasntmuchimprovedmyopinionofthem.WheneverImetoneofthemwhoseemedtomeatallclear-sighted,ItriedtheexperimentofshowinghimmyDrawingNumberOne,whichIhavealwayskept.Iwouldtrytofindout,so,ifthiswasapersonoftrueunderstanding.But,whoeveritwas,he,orshe,wouldalwayssay:Thatisahat.1ThenIwouldnevertalktothatpersonaboutboaconstrictors,orprimevalforests,orstars.Iwouldbringmyselfdowntohislevel.Iwouldtalktohimaboutbridge,andgolf,andpolitics,andneckties.Andthegrown-upwouldbegreatlypleasedtohavemetsuchasensibleman.