Lastweek,Iwasinvitedtoadoctor’smeetingattheRuthHospital.Inoneoftheroomsapatient,anoldman,gotupfromhisbedandmovedslowlytowardsme.Icouldseethathehadn’tlongtolive,buthecameuptomeandplacedhisrightfootclosetomineonthefloor. “Frank!”Icriedinsurprise.Hecouldn’tanswer,asIknew,buthetriedtosmile,allthetimekeepinghisfootclosetomine. Mythoughtsracedbackmorethanthirtyyears-tothedarkdaysof1941,whenIwasastudentinLondon.Thescenewasanair-raidshelter(防空洞),inwhichIandaboutahundredotherpeopleslepteverynight.AmongthemwereMrsWestandhersonFrank,wholivednearby.Sharingwartimeproblems,wegottoknoweachotherverywell.Frankinterestedmebecausehewasnotnormal.Hehadneverbeennormal,eversincehewasborn.Hismothertoldmehewas37then,buthehadlessofamindthanababyhas.MrsWest,thenabout75,wasastrong,ablewoman,asshehadtobe,ofcourse,becauseFrankdependedonhercompletely.Heneededalltheattentionofababy. OnenightapolicemancameintoourshelterandtoldMrsWestthatherhousehadbeenalldestroyed.Thatwasn’tquitetrue,becausetheWestswentonlivingthereforquitesometime.Buttheycertainlylostnearlyeverythingtheyowned. Whenthatkindofthinghappened,therestofushelpedtheunluckyones.Sobeforeweseparatedthatmorning,IstoodbesideFrankandmeasuredmyrightfootagainsthis. Theywereaboutthesamesize.Thatnight,then,ItookasparepairofshoestotheshelterforFrank.Assoonashesawme,hecamerunning-andpacedhisrightfootagainstmine.Afterthat,healwaysgreetedmeinthesameway. 小题1:HowdidthewriterknowthatthepatientwasFrank? |