Macaulay - Black and White

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Black and White David Macaulay WARNING This book appears to contain a number of stories that do not necessarily occur at the same time. Then again, it may contain only one story. In any event, careful inspection of both words and pictures is recommended. Houghton Mifflin Company Boston 1990 Problem Parents A WAITING GAME Udder Chaos It is the boy's first trip alone. He can hardly wait to see his parents again. Even on the fast train, the journey will take all night.

He sleeps curled up at one end of the seat. Hmm... Hmm... Hi, Mom... Hmm... Hi, Mom.

One thing about parents is that you're supposed to be able to count on them, even when they don't understand you. Sometime in the early morning hours, the train comes to rest. All is quiet. Suddenly, the door of the compartment slides open. The conductor leans in, announces that something is blocking the tracks, and disappears. A few minutes later, an old woman enters the compartment and sits down opposite the boy.

She says nothing. Every morning at seven o'clock they leave for their offices in the city. The worst thing about Holstein cows is that if they ever get out of the field, they're almost impossible to find. Leaning out the window, the boy can just make out what looks like a row of boulders in front of the train. He wonders if it's an avalanche. But where from? Even in the poor light, there is no sign of a mountain or even a hill.

And every evening at seven o'clock they come home, sort through the mail, ask about homework and send us to bed. Ask any farmer. It's a nightmare. But it happens. He sees the driver jump down from the engine and approach the boulders. The man is shouting and waving his fists.

The boy grins. He's helped his parents in the garden often enough to know that you can't move rocks just by shouting at them. Mom! Mom? Dad? Dad! But from the moment they came through the door that night, my brother and I knew something was wrong. Your attention please. Passengers awaiting the arrival of the eight-thirteen to the city are advised that that train will be slightly delayed. Amusement quickly turns to amazement. Amusement quickly turns to amazement.

He rubs his eyes again and again but still can't believe what he sees. The boulders are moving. That was the night they came home wearing newspapers. I couldn't believe it. They came in laughing, ignored the mail, and started marching around the living room singing, "She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes." I mean, you expect parents to be weird, but this was scary. CHOIR FESTIVAL Slowly, they float off the tracks, down the embankment, and into the bushes that border the railway line.

The next thing I knew, Dad had lugged in a pile of old newspapers from the garage. He and Mom were looking us up and down and whispering. When the last one is gone, the driver clambers back into the cab and the train lurches forward. Lighter-than-air boulders tumble around the boy's mind until the steady rhythmic clicking of the rails sends him back to sleep. Screeching brakes. Singing. Singing.

Singing?! Reluctantly, he opens his eyes. The old lady has vanished. I asked if they wanted to check my homework. Mom just tore the Leisure section into strips and asked if I wanted to be a turkey! Your attention please. Passengers awaiting the arrival of the eight-thirteen to the city are advised that that train is still temporarily delayed. Southern Rail regrets any inconvenience.

And they're no easier to find at night... With his sleeve, he clears some mist from inside the window. Where he expects a platform, he sees only smoke or steam or cloud. He stares and wonders. Is that really cloud out there? I looked at my brother. We played alongfor the moment.

But pretty soon both of us looked like rejects from some origami zoo. I was thinking, "Who are these people?" even with a light. And something else is drifting by. Snow? The boy is thrilled. He opens the window. The singing gets louder.

Then they started marching again and, by the fourth trip around the living room, my brother was really getting into it. The little traitor.

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