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1、32009BBCNationalShortStoryAwardOtherPeople’sGodsNaomiAldermanMrBlooMledablamelesslifeuntilhesawGane-sha.Somepeopledo.Some,likeMrBloom,gotoophthalmiccollegeattheirmother’sinsistencealthoughintheirheartstheyhadyearnedtotraveltofar-offlands.Some,likehim,d
2、reamofspiceislandsandduskymaidensbutsettleforTelmastockcubesandthebuxomdaughteroftheretiringoptician,MrLefkowitz.Some,likeMrBloom,raiseafamilyandexaminerheumyeyesandrubtheircornsatnightandquiteforgetinallthatpiling-upofyearsthatoncetheylongedtostandbar
3、e-chestedonashoreofgoldensand,togowheremanhadnevertrod,toloveasmanhadneverloved.Somefindcontentmentthere,andothersdiscontent.MrBloom,quitetohisownsurprise,foundGanesha.16BBCNationalShortStoryAward2009Hewasonamarketstall,amongbanglesandsaris,josssticksa
4、ndwallhangings.There,inthecentre,aporcelainstatueofafour-armedmanwithanel-ephant’shead,orperhapsanelephantwiththebodyofafour-armedman.Hewasbrightpink,withlargekindeyesandagoldenheaddress.Oneofhishandswasbeckoning,anothermotioningtheobservertostayaway.M
5、rBloomsawatoncethatthiswasagod;whatelsecoulditbe,enticingandwarningatthesamemoment?Hepickedupthestatue,theglazesmoothbeneathhisfingertips.Theyoungmantend-ingthestall,dirtyblonddreadlocksfallingintohiseyes,said:‘Careful,Grandpa,yeah?Youbreakit,youpay,al
6、right?’MrBloomthoughtofthestoryofAbrahamourforefather,whocondemnedhisfatherforavodahzara,bywhichismeantforeignworship,bywhichismeantidolworship.Asayoungboy,realisingthetruththatthereisonlyoneGod,Abrahamsmashedhisfather’sidols.Whenhisfatherpunishedhim,A
7、brahamsaid,‘No,father,itwasn’tme,itwasthebiggestidol.Hetookastickandsmashedalltheothers.’Hisfathersaid,‘Youidiot,idolscan’tmove!’andAbrahamre-plied,‘Sowhydoyouworshipthem,then?’ThestorydoesnotrelatewhetheratthatmomentAbraham’sfatherwasenlightened,orwhe
8、ther,onthecontrary,OtherPeople’sGods17hepunishedAbrahamyetharderforstrippinghimofthebeliefswhich,inprehistoricMesopotamia,musthavebeenevenmorepreciousthantheyaretoday.MrBloomconsideredallthisasheheldGaneshainhishands.Thoseeyesweresotend
