闲来笔潭（简本）

　　难忘那夜的秋雨
　　1950年深秋，我母亲到亲戚家赊了头小猪来养。大约过了不到十天，亲戚家的掌门人来到我家，对母亲说：“我是来看弟弟的，顺便来收你赊的猪崽钱。”母亲说：“现在确实没钱，等筹到钱一定给您送去。”这位掌门人没有说行还是不行。接着，她指着我家的破屋说：“我的亲戚现在住的都不错，就是你还住牛栏，这么破，这么矮，狗都跳得过去。”晚上，父亲知道了，大发脾气。好像猪崽也听懂了似的，不停地叫。父亲骂母亲没骨气，怨亲戚无情，也恨自己没用，坚决要把小猪送还人家，宁愿饿死，也不低三下四。
　　母亲没办法，要我同她一起在小猪脖子上绑了根绳，牵着赶回亲戚家。
　　已是凌晨二时许，秋风瑟瑟，细雨绵绵。我在前面牵着小猪，母亲在后面吆喝。快走到村西两棵大樟树旁时，想到这里曾枪毙过一个恶霸、一个反革命，那个恶霸被步枪打穿了胸脯，血肉模糊；那个反革命被手枪打碎了脑壳，脑浆迸溢。因曾亲眼目睹，感觉十分恐怖。顿时我双腿发软，走不动了，吓得哭了起来。母亲也难过地哭了，安慰我说：“不要怕，哪里有鬼？就是有鬼，也不会吓我们这样的穷人，我活了四十多岁，受过人的欺侮，没有受过鬼的欺侮！”我心里好像得到了一种从未有过的安慰，又好像吃了一颗壮胆药。再往前走了约一百米，又看见村里一个被邻村杀死的人放在棺材里，并用砖垒了一个小屋，说是报了仇才能下葬。我又害怕起来，但还是硬着头皮，牵拉着小猪往前走。这家伙不停地叫，好像是为我们壮胆，为我们叫苦，抑或是抨击人情太薄。
　　再往前，要翻过一座山，走二里多长的山路，这时雨下得更大了，身上也湿透了。走在山路上，忽然窜出一只动物，不知是狼是狗，吓得我胆战心惊。母亲说：“不要怕，你是个大孩子了，畜生不会伤害我们。”快到西北边山脚下时，看到一大片坟墓，大大小小的坟堆，好像大大小小的土馒头。母亲说：“再走一会儿就出山了，有我在，你不要怕。”我想到母亲可怜，又呜呜地哭起来。大约又过了半个多小时，终于把小猪送到亲戚家，这时天才蒙蒙亮。掌门人淡淡地说：“把猪关到栏里去，你们吃过早饭回去吧？”我们全身湿透了，像落汤鸡，一夜折腾得够呛，连水都没喝一口，肚子早饿了。但母亲只轻轻地说了句：“谢谢，我们还要赶回去。”在往回走的路上，天先是阴森森的，慢慢地亮了些，秋雨袭来，身上不时打寒噤。
　　回到家里，看到我们可怜的样子，父亲没做声，转过身去，不停用手抹眼泪。母亲赶紧把我的湿衣服换了下来，都是打补丁的旧土布衣服。
　　父亲煮了一锅菜粥，桌上放了一碗咸芥菜，也没放油。父亲说：“哼，人穷盐钵里都会长蛆。”母亲对我说：“你都十多岁了，家里人多，几亩地又打不到够全年吃的粮食，你爸爸也忙不过来，不要再去读书了，好吗？”我没做声，放下碗，倒在床上哭。父母心软了，让步了，又说：“是同你商量，你硬要读就去读，反正我们穷。”我爬起来，饿着肚子就往学校跑，母亲把我追了回来。
　　这天傍晚，乌云密布，秋雨扑面，可晒场上的那棵松树，还是那样刚劲，不管严冬还是酷暑，总是那么挺拔。吃晚饭时，父亲突然问：“你能读个出息来吗？今后能不能当上小学教师？”我说：“不知道，只要你们允许我读，我会努力的。”这时，母亲发现我发高烧，赶紧烧了一大碗开水，叫我全都喝下去，盖上被子把寒气逼出来。
　　窗外秋雨仍下个不停。秋风从船板做的墙壁缝中往里面灌，冷飕飕的。看到父母骨瘦如柴，岁月和苦难在脸上刻满了忧愁，我鼻子发酸，眼前一片漆黑。再看自己皮包骨头的手，像鸡爪子，皮肤像那两棵老樟树的皮。
　　有人说：“求人比登天难，人情比纸还薄。”这虽不是生活的全部，却也道出了世态炎凉。童年经历的人间苦难，令我对生活在社会底层的人感同身受，格外关注弱势群体的生存状况。我自认为是个有情有义的人，尤其懂得知恩图报。
　　……

《闲来笔潭》（简本）精选收录了政治局原常委吴官正离开领导岗位后创作的随笔、散文、杂记、小说等60篇短文和50幅画作。分为4部分：《岁月难忘》是作者的童年记忆和求学经历，还有一些工作回忆；《静思杂记》是近几年一些足迹的记录和对一些问题的看法；《读书随感》是作者看书时的一些思考；《春水煎茶》是作者茶余饭后听说的一些人和事，姓名和事情都没有考证过。

岁月难忘
童年记忆与求学之路 ·························003
难忘那夜的秋雨 ···························023
清明忆母亲 ·····························026
毕业证书上的照片························· ·030
生 日································034
过 年································037
梦 ·································039
面 条································041
江城琐忆 ······························045
点滴在心 ······························053
两次发火 ······························058
达悟的女儿 ·····························062
附 相伴五十年························张锦裳  067
 
静思杂记
 
退后的心态····························· 093
印 章································096
数字无味 ······························098
对“一分为二”的思考  ······················· 101
“0”有多大？····························105
夹缝与“二月天”···························107
别责怪它们······························115
野 猫 ································126
可恶的蚊子······························132
猴子的启示······························139
屈伸有度·······························143
从马哈鱼说开去····························144
为它们说几句话····························153
今日春分·······························162
凌霄花································175
游园乐································176
秋游姑苏·······························183
 
读书随感
美学笔记·······························193
古希腊文明撷秀····························197
参观贝村的联想····························206
《天方夜谭》读后···························209
评读四位美国总统···························212
盖茨辞职的启发····························220
也说欲望·······························223
宽 容 ································226
见势利者别烦·····························229
太阳不会说谎·····························231
谣言是“病毒”····························234
谈灵感································237
需要与矛盾······························240
脾 气 ································244
康熙看长城······························253
红颜并非祸水·····························255
相似还是巧合·····························258
春水煎茶
有问有答·······························263
老谷的奇谈怪说····························268
人老话多·······························277
老王照镜子······························280
芸芸众生·······························283
这棵老树·······························287
杀它干什么······························290
荒诞的梦·······························292
一撇的闲·······························295
给三草的信······························299
破赛（小说）·····························302
峨直（小说）·····························306
阿璐嫂（小说）····························310
初版后记·······························315