When I first moved away from home to study, I started out living in student housing. We all had our own rooms, but every floor shared a kitchen and a common room. There was no supervision from family members, and we were expected to take care of ourselves. I had a neighbor who had, like most of us, just moved away from home. It was his first time on his own, and he felt unhappy.

We had to teach this poor boy EVERYTHING. It started with the mystery of why the plates in the cupboard were always greasy (有油渍的). It turned out that the boy didn’t know he had to use hot water to wash the dishes; he just washed them in cold water and put them back.

He spent the first six months complaining about how he was always running out of money. This was because he didn’t know how to cook. The rest of us lived on the usual student diet and treated ourselves to a pizza on weekends. However, he got fast food every single day. I could feed myself for a month on his weekly meal budget. Moreover, he had no idea how to wash clothes with a washing machine. I had to take him shopping for laundry detergent (洗衣粉) first because he didn’t know what it was. He thought he could just put ordinary soap in the washing machine.

To his credit, the boy was very grateful for the help and very depressed that no one had taught him how to do all these things before he moved out.

One day, the boy’s mother came to visit. He happily introduced all of us to his mother. After we graduated, I was invited to his wedding. He introduced me to his new wife as “the one who taught me how to be a man”.

Just before Christmas in 1994, a letter arrived at our house. The postmark was from Tuskegee, Alabama, so we all knew who it was from. We excitedly gathered around mother as she opened it.

       I didn’t get the leave I expected for Christmas. I’ll miss all of you. Please leave the Christmas tree up until I make it back. I hope to be home by March.

                                                                                          Love from your son,

                                                                                          Clifton

       My heart sank. I felt profound sadness that my favorite brother wouldn’t be home for Christmas. My mother, being the optimist she always was, said, “Well, it looks like we’ll get to have two Christmases this year!”

       After Christmas, my sister and I worked together to make sure we kept that Christmas tree looking as pretty as possible. This was no easy feat. By mid-January, the branches drooped so low to the ground. Each day, ornaments would come crashing to the ground and there were brand new sprinklings of pine needles all over the wooden floor. My sister and I took turns sweeping them up. We repositioned the ornaments to the stronger branches on the tree, hoping they would stay on.

       Each time we freshened that tree up, my sister and I were full of thoughts about Clifton and how happy we would be to see him again. It made us feel that he was close by, even though he was hundreds of miles away.

       On March 5, the doorbell rang. We ran to the door and gave Clifton a big hug. As he hugged mother, I could see him peek over her head at the Christmas tree.

       “It’s beautiful,” he said. “Thank you.” Clifton opened his presents and told us all sorts of stories about his work in Tuskegee. That night as we slept, we heard a crash in the living room. We all ran to see what had happened. The tree had toppled onto the sofa and there were needles and broken ornaments everywhere. We all had a good laugh. It was fortuitous (巧合的) Clifton got home when he did.

I learnt to swim when I was a teenager. I went to the local swimming pool with my two sisters. It was old and cold and not very nice. I can still remember my instructor: his name was Colin Firth, like the actor. But he wasn't as good-looking！

-Rachel Robbins

My father was a swimming instructor so I guess it’s just in the blood. I can’t remember a time when I couldn’t swim. I spent most of my childhood holidays at the beach and I still go at any opportunity I get.

-Simon Fordham

It took me a long time to learn. I wasn’t a natural. I still don’t swim very well. I certainly wouldn’t like to be in a boat in rough(汹涌的) seas. I never really learnt to put my face in the water. It hurts my eyes and I can’t see.

-Geoffrey Hopkins

One day I was standing by the deep end of the swimming pool and I suddenly fell in. I don’t know how I did it but I managed to get to the side. I was coughing but I could swim! My brother saw me when I got out and thought it was very funny. But he didn’t laugh when I hit him.

-Karen Marks

My first experience of swimming was when I was 8 or 9 years old. I was on a small boat with about ten other boys. It was very small and someone pushed me in the water. The water was very clean and I could see everything. I remember feeling very peaceful and comfortable, and I wasn’t worried at all. I started swimming, not very well, but another boy helped me to return to the beach.

-Phillip Parker