After watching my son Todd run in an annual race. I made my usual comment. “Todd I could walk faster than those women run.” Todd laughed as he knew I wasn't a runner. “Listen, Mom. I want you to show by your actions. How about you running with me next year at this race?” Without thinking, I quickly agreed to this challenge.

But when it was almost time for this race to occur, Todd wasn't going to be running. He was sent to Africa as a soldier for three years. A few of his friends knew this challenge I had agreed to with Todd. They started to encourage me to run the race. I hadn't trained or anything. Quite frankly, I had almost forgotten I said I would do it.

I decided I should keep my promise to Todd and run the race. The first thing I did was go out and buy some running clothes. I might as well look good was my thought. even though I hadn't trained at all.

The day of the race came. I was not well prepared, but I started. It wasn't long before some guy on the roadside started to talking next to me. I wasn't in the talking mood. However, this guy was very talkative. He kept making remark on how tired he was, and I must be tired too. The race was over, and this guy's wife won! I was just happy to finish and keep my promise to Todd.

I came home, and my neighbor asked about the race. I told him what had happened and how this guy would not shut up his negative talk. My neighbor laughed and set me straight," Kay. don't you know what this guy was doing? He thought you were the competition by the way you were dressed. He wanted his wife to win "Oh really!”

This guy's attitude built a fire in me for the next race!

The race began on a cold day and I saw this guy and his wife.

For a boy of fourteen his own home is the only Paradise. To live in a strange house with strange people is a kind of torture. It was painful to Phatik to be the unwelcome guest in his aunt’s house.

One day he courageously asked his uncle，“Uncle, when can I go home?”

His uncle answered，“Wait till the holidays come.”But there was a long time still to wait.

One day Phatik lost his lesson-book. Day after day the teacher would cane (鞭打) him unmercifully. His condition became so miserable that even his cousins were ashamed to own him and began to insult him. He went to his aunt at last, and told her about the incident. His aunt pursed（撅起）her lips and said，“You great clumsy, country lout. Why do you always cause so much trouble? How can I afford to buy you new books five times a month?”

That night, on his way back from school, Phatik had a bad headache and felt he was going to fall ill. His one great fear was that he would be a trouble to his aunt. The next morning Phatik was nowhere to be seen.

All searches in the neighbourhood were in vain. At last his uncle, Bishamber, sought help from the police. At the end of the day, a police car stopped at the door. It was still raining and the streets were all flooded. Two policemen brought out Phatik in their arms. He was wet through from head to foot, muddy all over, his face and eyes flushed red with fever, and his limbs all trembling.

Bishamber carried him into the inner apartment, laying him gently on the bed. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After the doctor left, the boy came to life. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Several years ago, as I was looking over my travel itinerary (行程) for a business trip from San Francisco to New Orleans, I noticed that I would be spending some time at the Dallas airport before catching a connecting flight. So I called my friend Luke who lived in Dallas, and said I would like to have dinner with him. Luke instantly agreed. However, the flight arrived in Dallas an hour late. Luke was waiting for me as I stepped off the plane.

“Hey, Luke,” I said apologetically, “thanks for coming out to meet me. I hope you didn’t wait here too long.” “ Oh, no problem.” he replied easily. “I called ahead and found out your flight was going to be late.” “Oh, good!” I replied. “Listen, I’m sorry about dinner, but I’ll owe (欠) you one next time. Come on! Find out which gate my next plane is leaving from. We can head over there together and talk for a while.”

I started walking but Luke didn’t budge (让步). “But I want to have dinner with you,” he said. I looked back at him questioningly. “What are you talking about?” “We’ re having dinner,” replied Luke with determination. “I have this whole thing examined thoroughly. I really know this airport well. Just follow me.”

He picked up one of my bags and carried it out through the security check. I ran after him, thinking to myself. “There is no way we are going to get into his car, drive to a restaurant, have dinner, and still get back in time for me to catch the plane!”

The two of us moved hurriedly in the parking lot until we came to Luke’s car. Luke opened the trunk (后备箱) of his car.