佚名 /Anonymous
Once, whenIwasateenager, , therewasonlyonefamilybetweenusandtheticketcounter.
, 'thavealotofmoney.
Theirclotheswerenotexpensive, -behaved, allofthemstandinginline, two-by-twobehindtheirparents, , elephants, andotheractstheywouldseethatnight.
, standingproudascouldbe.
Themotherwasholdingherhusband'shand, lookingupathimasiftosay, “You'remyknightinshiningarmor.”
Hewassmilingandbaskinginpride, lookingbackatherasiftoreply, “Yougotthatright.”
, “Pleaseletmebuyeightchildren'sticketsandtwoadultticketssoIcantakemyfamilytothecircus.”
'swifeletgoofhishand, herheaddropped, , “Howmuchdidyousay?”
'thaveenoughmoney.
Howwashesupposedtoturnandtellhiseightkidsthathedidn'thaveenoughmoneytotakethemtothecircus? Seeingwhatwasgoingon, mydadputhishandinhispocket, pulledouta $20billanddroppeditontheground.(Wewerenotwealthyinanysenseoftheword!)
Myfatherreacheddown, pickedupthebill, tappedthemanontheshoulderandsaid, “Excuseme, sir, thisfelloutofyourpocket.”
'tbeggingforahandoutbutcertainlyappreciatedthehelpinadesperate, heartbreaking, 'seyes, tookmydad'shandinbothofhis, squeezedtightlyontothe $20bill, andwithhislipquiveringandatearrunningdownhischeek, hereplied, “Thankyou, thankyou, .”
'tgotothecircusthatnight, butwedidn'tgowithout.
十几岁时，有一次父亲带我去马戏团看表演。我们站在长长的队伍里等着买票。终于，我们前面只剩一家人了。
这一家人给我留下了深刻的印象。他们一共有八个孩子，可能都不到十二岁。显然这不是一个富裕的家庭。
他们衣着虽不奢华，但很整洁。孩子们都懂礼貌，两两一排，手拉手站在队伍里，跟在父母身后。他们兴奋地谈论着小丑、大象和他们将要看到的马戏表演。
凭我的直觉，这些孩子可能从未看过马戏。所以那一定将会是他们度过的最精彩的一天。他们的父母骄傲地站在队伍的最前面。
那位母亲拉着丈夫的手，抬头看着他，似乎在说：“你就是那个身穿闪亮盔甲，护卫我的骑士。”
