Smith entered Mr.Watson's office.The boss was a hard man.He fired people who didn't do well without giving them a second chance.

    “Smith，” said Mr.Watson，“this past year your department hasn't earned money.We're going to drop that department.It's finished.I'm sorry，—but you'll have to go.” “But，sir—if I just had a little more time.For the moment I need the job to keep my son at Riverside School.”

    “What's that！” said the boss.“Riverside！I didn't know you had a boy there.That's an expensive school for a man with your salary.”

    “I know，sir.But he likes it there so much！He's a star athlete and the best boxer in the school.The boys call him Champ (冠军)there.”

    The boss sat perfectly still for a long time—a faraway (恍惚的) look in his eyes.Then，suddenly，he said，“We've got to close your department，Smith. But you'll take over a new job in another department.It means longer hours—maybe more pay.Now get out.You're here for life.”

    Smith got out，with surprise on his face.Then the boss took a letter from the top drawer of his desk.It was Herbie's last letter from Riverside School—written a few days before he died.He had read it over and over again with sick pain.The letter read：

    I can't say the boys here are any nicer to me than the others were.I guess it's the same everywhere when you're a cripple (跛脚的人)．But don't worry about me，Dad.They've got a good chemistry department here.And there's one boy here who is really great.He's a track star and boxing champ and just tops in chemistry.The boys call him Champ.He made them stop throwing my books around.And he knocked a boy down who hit me.He is the best friend I ever had.Dad，when I grow up，I want to do something for Champ.Something big—that he won't even know about.

    Some time ago, I discovered a whole lot of antique(古董) shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the char that had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair.

    The second shop, although slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth — so I thought that my approach must be wrong.

    I went into the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, “Would you like to buy a chair?” He looked it over carefully and said, “Yes. How much do you want do it, sir?” “Twenty pounds,” I said. “Ok,” he said, “I'll give you twenty pounds.” “It has a slightly broken leg,” I said. “Yes, I saw that; it's nothing.”

    Everything was going according to the plan and I was getting excited. “What will you do with it?” I asked. “Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done.” “I'll buy it,” I said. “What do you mean? You've just sold it to me.” he said. “Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I'm sorry. I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it.” “You must be crazy,” he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. “I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair.” “You're right.” I said. “And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, ‘Would you mend this chair for me?'” “I wouldn't have agreed to do it,” he said. “We don't do repairs, not enough in it and too much trouble. But I'll mend this for you, shall we say for five pounds?” He was a very nice man and was greatly amused by the whole thing.

    I passed a man on the way home from work this evening. He was walking down the side of the carriageway. Actually, he was walking unsteadily. I slowed down wondering whether to stop and give him a lift, at least down to a safer part of the road. I couldn't be sure but he appeared to be quite drunk. I pulled over and watched him in my rear-view mirror. He was obviously well-oiled. A truck turned sharply to avoid him at one point-he didn't appear to care.

    Having stopped now, I thought I might as well wait for him to reach the car. Five minutes went by and he reached the car. My windows were down, and I asked him if he wanted a lift. He indicated that he was going to the next town, just out of my way, but not far enough to put me to trouble. So in he got.

    “Sorry, I'm really quite drunk. I've been at a funeral. My family are all really out of it, so I decided to walk home. I'm Ryan,” and he offered me his hand. I drove and we talked. He told me he'd buried his uncle, and that he was a traveler.

    He called me brother and offered me his cool shades as payment. I declined and said the joy was in the giving. Three times along the way he told me that, “Whatever we put out there comes back to us. Something good will come to you for picking me up.” We told each other where we came from, the places we've lived, and how we both ended up here. He apologized again for being so drunk. “Anywhere around here is fine for me,” he said. So I dropped him at the next junction. We shook hands and spoke each other's names again.

    I felt as if I'd been blessed somehow. I think I have been.

    Tyler Skiuzacek's father，Patrick，could not sleep through the night．It was 2007，and Patrick had just returned from a year in Iraq，where he served in the U．S．Army．Patrick Skluzacek was energetic and happy when he left for Iraq，Tyler says．But when he returned，he was unhappy and drinking alcohol too much．It turned out Patrick was suffering from sleep panic attacks．Patrick would wake up every night．His heart would beat too fast．He would sweat．The nighttime panic attacks prevented Patrick from feeling good the next day，because he was so tired．

    Almost 10 years later，Tyler was in a position to help his father．He thought he could make a computer program that might help his father．So he entered a competition in Washington，D．C，trying to solve the problem Tyler's father and other U．S．war veterans(老兵)，were having．People called them “night terrors.”The students had 36 hours to come up with a program．They called it myBivy．That name comes from bivouac，a military term for a safe place to sleep．

    The application uses a smart watch and a smart phone together．The watch tracks the wearer's heartbeat．It sends the data to the program on the smart phone．Research shows that a person's heart rate will increase right before a night terror．So if the wearer's heartbeat started to rise，my B ivy would respond．The smart watch would vibrate(振动)and gently wake up the sleeping person．That was enough to prevent a night terror from happening．

    Patrick wore the watch for two weeks to get used to it．Then，Tyler turned on the application．On the first night，the vibrations from the watch prevented 10 nightmares．Patrick said he had not slept that well in many years．Tyler and his team won the contest in Washington，D．C．The prize was $1，500．Then the group tried to raise more money from investors，and they were surprised when they took in over$25，000．By the spring of 2016，Tyler and his team were testing the app with volunteers，and hoped to make it availab1e to the public soon．

A Cappella Competition

    Do you love to sing?

    Come and show off your talents at the Chilton Youth A Cappella Competition！

    October 20th, 11: 00-17: 00

    Edward Greatcoat Theater, Sealey Road, Chilton

    Rules

    Please remember that this is an cappella competition!

    No instruments or recorded music will be allowed.

    Competitors may sing published or original songs in any style.

    Competitors must be between eight and 15 years old.

    There are four categories (类):

    ⑴Solo (8-11 years old)          ⑵Solo (12-15 years old)

    ⑶Group (8-11 years old)         ⑷Group (12-15 years old)

    Competitors under 12 years old must stay with a parent or other adult at all times.

    Each competitor must pay an entry fee of $10.

    Winners will receive $500 and a course of 20 lessons with famous voice coach Vickie Leonard.

    Winners will be decided by three judges from the Chilton School of Music. Their decision is final.

    Additional information

    Please arrive at the Edward Greatcoat Theater between 09: 00 and 10: 00 to register (登记), as the competition will start at 11: 00. The parking lot has limited spaces so you are advised to come as early as possible.

    Shared dressing rooms with showers will be provided for all competitors. 

    Tickets for the competition are available at the theater from October 1st. There is no charge for these, but again, spaces are limited.

Cala didn't like us. Any of us. We didn't do anything to offend her and she didn't know us but that didn't matter; she still didn't like us.

As new teachers in the Emirati school, we Westerners greeted her every day. She ignored us. She came into our rooms and bypassed us as she shook hands with all the non-Westerners. Whenever we saw her, she avoided eye contact with us. Eventually, we stopped trying to befriend her.

I wouldn't say her nationality but her friends had been fired from the school. We had been employed in their places and that was enough for her to have nothing to do with us.

Well after 16 months in the school we had a secret friend gifting. To my surprise, I drew her name from the glass jar and that meant she was my secret friend. My role was to buy her a gift and say something about her when we publicly acknowledged who our secret friend was.

I decided to gift her a coloured bangle (手镯). I added a postcard and wrote "Love and Blessings, Rose Marie.

Then came the day. We all gathered in the meeting room. When you gave your gift, you said a few kind words about your secret friend and passed the gift to her. What could I say? Everyone knew she didn't like the Westerners. She taught music in the school so I said "My secret friend is someone who brings music to our ears every day." She came forward with a huge warm smile. She hugged me and kissed me on both cheeks and accepted my gift.

Since then, she smiles often. We hug and shake hands when we meet. I have seen her wear my gift several times and I am so pleased.