Sam Watts was a 37-year-old fisherman living and working in Canada. One day, Sam planned to head out into the Pacific at 9 am and work straight through until 5 pm the next day. Joining Sam would be his crewman, 24-year-old Tom Buck.

Although Sam had been warned that a storm was coming, there was little that would keep him from going. As he sailed through the waves some 120 kilometers from land, Sam let out his three-kilometer-long fishing line. The storm was gaining strength on land but had yet to reach the men far offshore. That changed around 1 am. Waves rocked the small boat, which began to turn sideways like an amusement park ride. “Get us out of here!” Tom screamed to Sam. “Let’s go back!”

With the winds and waves kicking up, the boat began to fill with water. Sam and Tom tried to pull in the fishing line together, but the high waves filled the boat with water, forcing Sam to make a hard decision. He cut the line, losing thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and fish in the sea. He then pointed the boat toward a port five hours away. Sam then called his boss, William Fox, to report his position.

With dawn coming, Sam spotted the rise of the mountains on the horizon. He was figuring out a route through the dangerous waters when suddenly the motor stopped. “I couldn’t believe it,” Sam said. “We were 24 kilometers off the coast, and the motor died.” High waves raised and dropped the boat, sending the men crashing into the sides. “William, William!” Sam yelled into the radio. “If you’re coming to get me, come now!”

“We’re coming!” William shouted back.

Shortly after, the radio died and the wind continued to blow straight offshore, driving the men farther out to sea.

The next morning, Sam spotted a fishing boat in the distance.

Andy and Eric were two friends who often played together. One day, on their way back home from school, they rode slowly, talking about the fishing trip that they had planned for the coming summer vacation. While turning a corner, Andy cried out, “A fight near the lake! Let’s go to watch!”

“No,” said Eric. “Let’s go home and not get involved in their quarrel. Stay away from it, or we may get into trouble. What’s more, our parents are waiting for us at home and I don’t want them to worry about me.”

“You are a coward (胆小鬼).” Andy laughed at him. Eric was a little annoyed, but he didn’t say anything, just riding home directly. The next day, he went to school as usual.

However, Andy had told all the class that Eric was too timid to do anything brave. So the whole class laughed at him a lot. And from then on, they looked down on Eric, unwilling to play with him. Eric was very sad but he didn’t blame Andy for his being rude to him, because he learned that true courage is shown most in bearing misunderstanding when it was not deserved, and that he ought to be afraid of nothing but doing wrong. Therefore, he ignored their teasing, studying even harder. What was different was that he had to go home alone.

Several days later, Andy together with his new friends was riding home. They were so absorbed in their conversation that they were unaware of everything else around them.

Suddenly, Andy noticed an unusual buzz of noise. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the heavens. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like a black cloud and the noisy mass seemed to be heading angrily towards them.

“Bees!” someone shouted. The boys were caught in great panic. All of them except Andy rode as fast as possible to escape. Andy was too scared to move.

Andy stopped there, with the buzz louder and louder.

Dragging themselves out of the lake, they struggled up to the shore.

I Am That Change

After 5 years abroad, I came to India, which is my native country. That was the time when private organizations, shopping malls, restaurants were emerging in our area.

One day my sister took me to the nearby shopping mall. We bought some clothes and the bill we made was INR 1,599. There was a huge line at the billing counter and we stood in the line. Then I noticed that a lady made her bill INR 499. So she gave INR 500 but she didn't get her one rupee in return. Surprisingly, she was okay with it. She didn't ask for her money (1 rupee).

Now it was our turn to pay. My sister gave INR 1,600. We weren't different. We did get nothing in return. But unlike the previous lady, I asked for my one rupee. They gave me an annoying look and said, “madam, we don't have any change. Leave it. It's just a rupee. There is nothing you can buy with that.”

I was so annoyed with their answer and said, “Now give me my 1,600 rupees, I will give you exactly how much I should spend on my things.” And I gave exactly INR 1,599. Everyone around that billing counter made a dramatic scene by abusing me that I was selfish，stingy（吝啬的）, etc. I didn’t mind anything and left the mall.

Outside the mall, I saw a random old woman begging in the burning sun. I gave that one rupee to her and also gave a couple of notes to her. And I noticed many people who left their one rupee for the shopping mall, ignoring that old woman who was begging just outside that mall.

I couldn't sleep that night. I was saddened by those acts. How come people don't give their valueless one rupee to the beggars who value that one rupee so much?

Not one man but everyone who visited the malls left one rupee there. If around 1,000 people visit that mall per day, it gets 1,000 rupees per day for free. I wanted to make some changes in the society, at least in our area.