第2章 A Story about Friendship（第1页）

第2章AStoryaboutFriendship

卷一、朋友是冬日的暖阳

Anonymous

Oneday，whenIwasafreshmaninhighschool，Isawakidfrommyclasswaswalkinghomefromschool。HisnamewasKyle。Itlookedlikehewasgallofhisbooks。Ithoughttomyself，“WhywouldanyhomeallhisbooksonaFriday?Hemustreallybeanerd。”Ihadquiteaweekeiesandafootballgamewithmyfriendstomorrowafternoon），sedmyshouldersaon。

AsIwaswalking，Isawabunchtowardhim。Theyranathim，knogallhisbooksoutofhisarmsandtrippinghimsohelahedirt。Hisglasseswentflying，andIsawthemlandinthegrassabouttefromhim。HelookedupandIsawtheterriblesadnessinhiseyes。Myheartwentouttohim。So，Ijoggedovertohimandashecrawledaroundllasses，Isawatearinhiseye。AsIhandedhimhisglasses，Isaid，“Thoseguysarejerks。Theyreallyshouldbepunished。”Helookedatmeandsaid，“Hey，thanks!”Therewasabigsmileowasohosesmilesthatshratitude。

Ihelpedhimpickuphisbooks，andaskedhimwherehelived。Asittur，helivednearme，soIaskedhimwhyIhadneverseenhimbefore。Hesaidhehadgooprivateschoolbeforenow。Iwouldhaveneverhungoutrivateschoolkidbefore。Wetalkedallthewayhome，andIeofhisbooks。Heturobeaprettycoolkid。Iaskedhimifhelayalittlefootballwithmyfriends。Hesaidyes。WehungoutallweekendandthemottokhemoreIlikedhim，ahoughtthesameofhim。

MdtherewasKylewiththehugestackofbooksagain。Istoppedhimandsaid，“Bonnareallybuildsomeseriousmuscleswiththispileofbookseveryday!”Hejustlaughedandhahebooks。Overthefouryears，Kyleafriends。ereseothinkaboutcollege。KyledeGeetown，andIwasgoingtoDuke。Ikaysbefriend，thatthemileswouldneverbeaproblem。Hewasgoior，andIwasgoingforbusinessonafootballscholarship。

Kylewasvalediofourclass。Iteasedhimallthetimeaboutbeingaoprepareaspeechfraduation。Iwassogladitwasogetupthereandspeak。Graduationday，IsawKyle。Helookedgreat。Hewasohoseguysthatreallyfoundhimselfduringhighschool。Hefilledoutandactuallylookedgoodinglasses。HehadmoredatesthanIhadandallthegirlslovedhim。Boy，sometimesIwasjealous。Todaywasohosedays。Icouldseethathewasnervousabouthisspeeackedhimonthebadsaid，“Hey，bigguy，you’llbegreat!”Helookedatmewithohoseloratefulone）ahanks。”hesaid。

&edhisspeech，heclearedhisthroat，andbegan。“Graduationisatimetothankthosewhohelpedyoumakeitthroughthosetoughyears。Ourparents，ourteachers，s，maybeaostlyourfriends。Iamheretotellallofyouthatbeiosomeogiftyougivethem。Iamgoingtotellyouastory。”Ijustlookedatmyfriendwithdisbeliefashetoldthestoryofthefirstdaywemet。Hehadplaokillhimselfovertheweekealkedofhowhehadedouthislowouldlaterandwasghisstuffhome。Helookedhardatmealesmile。“Thankfully，Iwassaved。Myfriendsavedmefromdoingtheunspeakable。”

&hegaspghthecrowdasthishandsome，popularboytoldusallabouthisweakestmoment。IsawhisMomandDadlookingatmeandsmilingthatsamegratefulsmile。NotuntilthatmomentdidIrealizeitsdepth。ethepowerofyouras。Withonesmallgestureyougeapersoterodputsusalliher’slivestoimpaotherinsomeway。Lodinothers。Asyousee，“Friendsareangelswholiftustoourfeetwhenshavetroublerememberinghowtofly。”