A Father and a Son

    Passing through the Atlanta airport one morning, I caught one of those shuttles that take travelers from the main terminals (航站楼) to their boarding gates. Not many people consider them fun, but on this Saturday I heard laughter. At the front of the first shuttle were a man and his son.

    We had just stopped to let off passengers, and the doors were closing again. “Here we go! Hold on to me tight!” the father said. The boy, about five years old, made sounds of happiness.

    “Look out there!” the father said to his son. “See that pilot? I bet he's walking to his plane.” The son turned his neck to look forward.

    As I was early for my flight, I decided to go back to the terminal. Where I went back again, I saw that the man and his son had returned too. I realized then that they hadn't been heading for a flight, but had just been riding the shuttle.

    “I want to ride some more!”

    “More?” the father said, mock-angry but clearly pleased. “ You are not tired?”

    “This is fun!” his son said.

    “All right.” the father replied, when a door opened, we all got on.

    There are parents who can afford to send their children to Europe or Disneyland, and there are parents who live in million-dollar houses and give their children cars and swimming pools, yet something goes wrong.

    “Where are all those people going, Daddy?” the son asked.

    “All over the world,” came the reply.

    The other people in the airport were leaving for far destinations (终点) or arriving at the ends of their journeys. The father and son, though, were just riding this shuttle together, making it exciting, enjoying being together.

    So many troubles in this country. So many questions about what to do. Here was a father who cared about spending the day with his son and who had come up with this plan on a Saturday morning.

    The answer is so simple: parents who care enough to spend time, and to pay attention and to try their best. It doesn't cost a cent, yet it is the most valuable thing in the world.

    The shuttle picked up speed, and the father pointed something out, and the boy laughed again.

    "You're just in time, Joe．We're going to play cowboys and Indians, and you can be the Indians," one of my cousins said．

    "How many Indians?" I asked．

    "Oh, about a thousand," he answered, and before I could say no, I was pushed out into the night and became a thousand Indians．Two minutes later I was running in the fields with a group of cowboys behind．The shouts of "After them． Let's catch the killers!" and other such TV play language came into my ears as I ran round a corner and hurried into my Grandpa's car．

    "We've got him, boys．Let's go and catch him!"

    But no one wanted to come to get me．All of my cousins except one were always very friendly with．It was quiet outside．And I went out of the car to have a look．

    Just then I heard a shout, "Bring the rope, and we can burn him．"

    "Only Indians burn people．Cowboys．"I stopped just in time． I had almost said, "Cowboys hang people．"

    I was tied to a tree, and the cowboys were looking for some wood when my dear mother called, "We're leaving now．"

    "Untie me," I shouted．"We're going．"

    "Why did Bobby want matches'?" Mum asked when we were in the car．"He was asking Dad whether he had any．"

    "Oh, he was just going to get matches? MATCHES? Are you sure he wanted matches?"

    Mother was quite sure, and I didn't say any more．

    Nina Martinez leaves the classroom and walks down the hall. She feels bad this morning, because she's going to sing in the school Talent Show(达人秀). She loves to sing but she doesn't like singing in front of other people.

    Nina stands at the door for a moment, and then goes inside. In the room many children are talking happily. Nina sees Luz, James and others from her class. Some teachers are sitting on the chairs. They're waiting for the children to get quiet.

    "Nina Martinez!" someone calls out. It is Mrs. Brent, the music teacher.

    Nina stands up from her chair. She feels small as she walks to the front. Her face is hot, but her hands are as cold as ice. She wants to sing, but the song doesn't come out.

    "Close your eyes just as you are alone," says Mrs. Brent. "Forget(忘记) about everyone else. Just sing."

    Nina is worried, but she gives it a try(尝试). She closes her eyes and sings out. The song is out like milk.

    After the show, Mrs. Brent says to her, "Nina, you are great in the show!"

    At that moment, Nina says "Thank you" to Mrs. Brent happily.

    I was born in Mississippi, America in the 1960s. When I was a five year old boy, I was badly ill and became disabled. I grew up knowing I was different. The first time I felt hurt and left out was in Grade Five. The other fourth and fifth graders played together in gym class, while I was put in the second grade gym class. 'Mom called the school to say it was unfair, but the school scolded me for complaining too much.

    In the 1980s, when my mom was giving birth to my sister, she died. My dad became even more distant. I was very sad and began drinking wine to ease the pain.

    Dad got remarried in 1985. Everyone went to his wedding except me. He told me to stay at home and watch the house. When my high school bail came around, I wanted to go out but wasn't allowed. When I graduated, my dad and step-mom weren't willing to hold a party for me. They put me into a group home after graduation.

    However, my life changed when I became a local leader of the National Self-advocacy(自我辩护) Group. At first, I thought the group wasn't for me until I found out it was all about empowerment(授权) ! My goal is to be the voice for people who haven't been heard and to help them. Many families, like mine, don't believe their disabled family members have a voice of their own.

    Looking back over my 16 years of leadership experience, I'm proud that I've helped so many disabled people. They should be encouraged to never give up and to follow their own way.

    The village of Hengly was going to have the Bean Olympics. It was a competition to see which kind of bean would grow the fastest and the tallest. Everybody was excited. They couldn't wait to show their best plants.

    Cassie knew clearly which bean she would choose for the competition, for her family had planted a special "family bean" .It was a flat bean that her great-grandparents had brought from Sicily. Her grandmother planted the beans every year and served them at many meals. Cassie was sure they would be unbeatable beans.

    However, the plan did not work out that way. Although Cassie's bean plants looked healthy with beautiful purple flowers, they did not grow as fast or climb as high as any of her neighbours. These people chose beans from seed(种子)shops. Their beans had wonderful names like "Rocket "or" Top Crop". One type was even named "King's Bean". That was the bean Ivan planted, and his plants climbed almost to the top of the fence. Cassie's plants were just near the middle of the fence.

    On the day of the competition, Cassie was disappointed that her beans were in last place. Ivan laughed at her beans and said she could win a prize for the slowest, shortest bean.

    The organizer, Mr Williams, handed out medals for the fastest-growing and the tallest bean plants." Now there remains only one final test, and it is just as important: the taste test."

    Mr Williams cooked the beans from each competitor and chose five experienced villagers as judges(裁判).

    Cassie was nervous. Would her family beans lose another time？

    After the judges tasted the beans, Mr Williams counted the results.

     "We have a winner, "Mr Williams announced." The judges all agree that Cassie's beans are the winner."

    Cassie grinned at this unexpected result. Many of her neighbours, even Ivan asked for her seeds. They were all in favour of the good-tasting beans even though they didn't grow fast or very tall.