イイ話。。。

僕は,昨日も仕事で疲れきって,遅くなって家に帰ってきた。
                                

すると,6歳になる娘がドアのところで待っていたのである。

                                  
                                  
                                    
                                 
                                
                                
                                

                                    
                                  
                                    
                                 
                                
                                
                                                                
                    

僕は驚いて言った。
                                
                                
                                

「まだ起きていたのか。もう遅いから早く寝なさい」
                                
                                

「パパ。寝る前に聞きたいことがあるんだけど」
                                
                                
                                

「なんだ?」
                                
                                

                                
                                

「パパは,1時間にいくらお金をかせぐの?」
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

「お前には関係ないことだ」

少しイライラして言った。
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

「なんだって,そんなこと聞くんだ?」
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

「どうしても知りたいだけなの。1時間にいくらなの?」
                                
                                
                                
                                

娘は嘆願した。
                                
                                
                                
                                

「あまり給料は良くないさ・・・800円くらいだな。ただし残業代はタダだ」
                                
                                
                                
                                

                                
                                
                                
                                        
                                
                                
                                

「わあ」

                                
                                
                                
                                

娘は言った。
                                
                                
                                
                                

「ねえ。パパ。私に200円貸してくれない?」
                                
                                
                                
                                

「なんだって!」
                                
                                
                                
                                

疲れていた僕は激昂した。
                                
                                
                                
                                

「お前が何不自由なく暮らせるためにオレは働いているんだ。」
                                
                                
                                
                                

「それが金が欲しいだなんて。だめだ!早く部屋に行って寝なさい!」
                                
                                
                                
                                

娘は,黙って自分の部屋に行った。
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

                                
                                
                                
                                   
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

しばらくして,僕は後悔し始めた。

                                
                                
                                
                                

少し厳しく叱りすぎたかもしれない...。

                                
                                
                                
                                

たぶん,娘はどうしても買わなくちゃならないものがあったのだろう。

                                
                                
                                
                                

それに,今まで娘はそんなに何かをねだるってことはしないほうだった・・・
                                
                                
                                
                                

                                
                                
                                
                                

                                
                                    
                                
                                
                                

                                   
                                
                                
                                                         
                                
                                

僕は,娘の部屋に行くと,そっとドアを開けた。
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

「もう,寝ちゃったかい?」  

小さな声で言った。
                                
                                
                                
                                

「ううん。パパ」

娘の声がした。少し泣いているようだ。
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                        
                                
                                
                                                        
                                
                                
                                

「今日は長いこと働いていたし,ちょっとイライラしてたんだ・・・

ほら。お前の200円だよ」
                                
                                
                                
                                

                                
                                
                                  
                                
                                
                                

                                       
                                
                                
                                

                       
                                

娘は,ベットから起きあがって,顔を輝かせた。

「ありがとう。パパ!」
                                
                                
                                
                                

                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

そして,小さな手を枕の下に入れると,数枚の硬貨を取り出した。
                                
                                
                                     
                                
                                
                                

                                       
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

                    
                                

僕はちょっとびっくりして言った。

「おいおい。もういくらか持ってるじゃん」
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                 
                                
                                
                                

                                    
                                
                                
                                                           
                                
                                
                                
                                

「だって足りなかったんだもん。でも、もう足りたよ」

娘は答えた。
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                  
                                
                                
                                

                                    
                                
                                
                                

                          
                                
                                

そして,僕があげた200円と自分の硬貨を僕に差しのべて...
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                

                                
                                
                                
                                

「パパ。私,800円持ってるの。」
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                    
                                
                                
                                       
                                
                                
                                                         

                            
                                

「これでパパの1時間を買えるよね?」