编者按:
这时小男孩弯下腰,拉起左边的裤管,露出用以支撑双腿的金属支架。他抬头看看老板,轻声地说:“我自己也跑不快,这只小狗正好有个同病相怜的主人。”
Puppies for sale
A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.“Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies." "Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer."I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?" he said. "Sure," said the farmer.
Out from the doghouse ran a female dog followed by four little balls of fur.The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence.His eyes danced with delight.As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.
Slowly another little ball appeared; this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up....
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the smaller dog.The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, "Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.
With that the little boy reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."
The world is full of people who need someone who understands.