Onedayin1965,whenIworkedatViewRidgeSchoolinSeattle,afourthgradeteacherapproachedme.Shehadastudentwhofinishedhisworkbeforealltheothersandneededachallenge.“Couldhehelpinthelibrary?”sheasked.Isaid“Sendhimalong.”
Soonaslight,sandyhairedboyinjeansandaTshirtappeared.“Doyouhaveajobforme?”heasked.
ItoldhimabouttheDeweyDecimalSystem(杜威十进分类法)forshelvingbooks.Hepickeduptheideaimmediately.ThenIshowedhimastack(摞)ofcardsforlongoverduebooksthatIwasbeginningtothinkhadactuallybeenreturnedbutweremisshelvedwiththewrongcardsinthem.Hesaid,“Isitkindofadetectivejob?”Iansweredyes,andhebecameworking.
Hehadfoundthreebookswithwrongcardsbythetimehisteacheropenedthedoorandannounced,“Timeforbreak!”Hearguedforfinishingthefindingjob;shemadethecaseforfreshair.Shewon.
Thenextmorning,hearrivedearly.“Iwanttofinishthesebooks,”hesaid.Attheendoftheday,whenheaskedtobealibrarianonaregularbasis,itwaseasytosayyes.Heworkeduntiringly.
AfterafewweeksIfoundanoteonmydesk,invitingmetodinnerattheboy’shome.Attheendofapleasantevening,hismotherannouncedthatthefamilywouldbemovingtoaneighbouringschooldistrict.Herson’sfirstconcern,shesaid,wasleavingtheViewRidgelibrary.“Whowillfindthelostbooks?”heasked.
Whenthetimecame,Isaidanunwillinggoodbye.Imissedhim,butnotforlong.Afewdayslaterhecamebackandjoyfullyannounced,“Thelibrarianovertheredoesn’tletboysworkinthelibrary.MymothergotmetransferredbacktoViewRidge.Mydadwilldropmeoffonhiswaytowork.Andifhecan’t,I’llwalk!”
Ishouldhavehadanideasuchfocuseddeterminationwouldtakethatyoungmanwhereverhewantedtogo.WhatIcouldnothaveguessed,however,wasthathewouldbecomeageniusoftheInformationAge:BillGates,tycoon(企业巨头)ofMicrosoftandAmerica’srichestman.
小题1:Whatwastheauthorwhenthestoryhappened?