A Change of Heart

By George Mapson 英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。4 v- c2 u6 n* ?5 Q! ]( |

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英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动: V$ T3 Z! ~$ B6 @  ^
It was the tail end of the depression, and things were tough. Mum had a hard
6 D' b; z% h  [英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论time raising us kids on her own in our small community of New Westminster, BC.
5 y/ C. d% B" W5 j4 U' d  z英语互助论坛My Dad had drowned in Pitt Lake, five years earlier - I still remember it like it was 英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。0 ^' z  l6 e  d& f
yesterday. Because Dad had no pension, or benefits, there was not much money
( l% N* ]; y* m& V, ^% z英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。so we went on relief, now called social assistance. We relied on the Salvation www.en580.com; O' O8 K7 Z3 I6 e2 a+ r
英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动1 B+ n$ r, ~; F% `2 |' ?
Army to keep us clothed, and although our clothes were second hand, we thought 英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论" L) P3 w2 r. l! K. `* i
they were beautiful.
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Looking back, I realize what Mum went through sending us kids to school. Every 英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动9 z& S4 A) R* ]" \7 l
morning she would tuck a new piece of cardboard in our shoes, because our soles 英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动; x/ J( [& e6 f2 g- ~3 Q
were worn out. When we got home, Mum would have "French Toast" ready for us.
3 k  q" s4 @1 S# C5 n英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动This was bread deep-fried in lard. Constant moving was typical for my family in
. T4 K$ r' d( J! J( e7 q英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论these times. Rent was twenty-five dollars a month, but Mum couldn't pay it, and
  x$ L! X* W' d2 H! O- Jwww.en580.comwe knew we would be evicted right after Christmas on the first of January. These
0 N- D0 I& e3 Y  R! x. H, |$ Z. A4 ~英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。were hard and sad years, but we never complained. 7 q/ Q+ P; r3 U4 W# F# K
英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。0 D3 L( [9 s2 [! ~' j/ d4 n& T5 y' p
Christmas was approaching, and we were entitled to a twenty-five dollar 英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。2 l& F/ ]$ b5 r, ~: J
Christmas fund for social services. The Inspector came to our house, and
% T: Q6 i; D; M2 }/ \英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动searched it from top to bottom to be sure we didn't have any food hidden away. . d' {- G; q5 u+ Y" `8 Z
When he didn't find any, he issued the cheque for Mum. It was four days before
/ L* X3 }( N' b3 f5 Z英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动Christmas, and Mum said that instead of buying food, she would use the money
$ H2 ^$ G: @0 t% t; Z英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论to pay back rent, assuring us all of a roof over our heads for a little while longer.
4 `7 Y* b' @" L( h英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动She told us then there would be nothing for Christmas.
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Unknown to Mum, I had been selling Christmas trees, shoveling snow, and doing
" J3 m1 S; A  w/ j0 b英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论odd jobs to earn enough money to buy a new pair of boots. Boots that weren't 英语互助论坛  k; i) S3 \: @. x9 Y- @
patched, boots with no cardboard in the soles. I knew exactly which boots I
# ^: h. M1 @4 {9 d- t& j4 l英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。wanted. They were ten-inch Top Genuine Pierre Paris and they had a price of 英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论2 O; ~( ?3 M" S7 p; }
twenty-three dollars.
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Well, the big day came on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I was very excited, as
7 c" a' h& m% B! y* j9 D* R8 C; v! E英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论I hurried up the road to catch the bus. It was only half a mile walk, but on the
0 S& k3 i( x7 u2 W* M英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。way I noticed a house with Christmas lights and decorations. It was then I
9 g" P( ^$ ?) E9 B: K英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论realized that at our house, we had no lights, no decorations, nor any money for ' J9 l+ q; v, j# V6 G9 A* Q1 ]. t( w
Christmas goodies.
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# J+ V* V2 P* _. `) Z6 _英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动I knew then that we would have no turkey or ham for Christmas, and I felt sad. 英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。0 a2 H" K# [9 _' S! v
But I knew for certain that we would have French toast.
9 ~( M4 @8 B& k$ ~6 I1 |英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论www.en580.com  C8 l# |' P8 }! n
As I continued walking I began to feel bewildered. I was eleven years old, and I 英语互助论坛1 ~* P9 o: m- O4 S" Y
was feeling a strange sense of guilt. Here I was going to buy a new pair of boots - V3 k2 J5 s8 K
while Mum was home in tears. She would be trying to explain to us why there www.en580.com, g3 i; w6 i. U. `1 [
were no presents. As I arrived at the bus stop, the driver opened his big manual 英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论, a9 t" p, o: h: ^9 ?$ G
hinged door. I stood there for what seemed an eternity, until eventually the
: B, i, G( c8 }7 I( L+ zdriver asked, "Son, are you getting on this bus or not?" I finally blurted out, "No 英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。4 ?$ i/ X' y! C
thanks Sir, I've changed my mind." www.en580.com$ P+ Z6 l% p! v; e

5 a& W% @$ J  b' g1 c' [" Vwww.en580.comThe bus drove off without me, and I stood alone in a daze, but feeling as if a
; v6 c0 d) N& Z3 Y" D: c7 [. d英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动weight had been lifted off my shoulders. My mind was made up and I realized 2 V7 m) O* t1 c. a
what I had to do.
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Across the street from the bus stop was a big grocery store called the Piggly www.en580.com% P) y2 r$ U8 |1 d! T7 j9 n
Wiggley. Into the store I went, brimming with happiness and excitement. I
+ X0 w- K( T3 V& i5 r英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。realized that the twenty-five dollars I had worked so hard for went a long way for www.en580.com5 {- s+ k0 \) V
groceries. I bought a turkey, ham, oranges and all the Christmas treats. I spent
  a( q1 n+ p4 F* jwww.en580.comevery dime of my hard-earned money. The owner of the grocery store said, "Son,
( K: h7 [! v0 r, D  t5 Byou can't pack all those groceries and carry them home yourself." So I asked two 英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动2 {2 G0 G. f7 ~0 |' `# \- Y+ L8 {
boys with carriers on their bicycles to run them the half-mile down to our house. 英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动  v/ H; I' D6 p' h2 c
As I walked behind the delivery boys, I whispered for them to quietly unload the 英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。. s0 [4 N, ?: j6 v  s. A
groceries on the porch and pile them against the door. Once they had done this, 英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。  o9 I7 ?: s. F+ A' s  g9 U+ y+ P) U
with great excitement and tears in my eyes, I knocked on the door. I could hardly 英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论. S5 h) Z- a8 y0 X6 g0 m2 [

! g+ ^- j0 p  T6 wwait to see my mother's face! When Mum opened the door, some of the groceries 英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动, w" k: Y8 |) ~* q7 m  ~
fell inside onto the floor, and she just stood there dumbfounded. Holding back the
" B; [" y9 m8 n' B  n" i; a( D英语互助、英语学习、英语社区、英语辩论、英语互动tears, I hollered, "Merry Christmas Mother!! There really is a Santa Claus!"
- ^1 O' M$ U* a5 ]  }英语互助论坛汇聚英语学习爱好者所普通关注的英语最新资讯、英语知识问答、英语热门考试、英语分类学习和英语音乐影视等多个版块为一体的综合英语学习门户网站，是广大英语爱好者值得关注的英语学习基地。
" Y! f1 Q0 r6 D) q7 {( m0 F英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论I had a lot of explaining to do as we unpacked all the food and put it away. That 英语互助论坛* ]5 i8 p4 i/ c& L
day I got enough hugs and kisses from Mum to last two lifetimes. To see my www.en580.com; y/ f! W) y  k
Mother's prayers answered more than made up for the boots I never got. It was a
( H" w% F8 c4 Z% ?* t! D英语互助、英语学习论坛、英语互动社区、英语辩论Merry Christmas for us after all!英语互助论坛0 d& N5 m6 W/ y, q& T5 r
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[ 本帖最后由 astrid 于 2008-6-26 19:46 编辑 ]

谢谢搂主提供这么好的资料~~~

谢谢搂主提供这么好的资料~~~