A Boy with a Mission.doc

演讲稿 a boy with a mission aboywithamissionin1945,a12-year-oldboysawsomethinginashopwindowthatsethisheartracing.butthepricefivedollarswasfarbeyondreubenearlesmeans.fivecheckvalvedollarswouldbuyalmostaweeksgroceriesforhisfamily.reubencouldntaskhisfatherforthemoney.everythingmarkearlemadethroughfishinginbayroberts,newfoundland,canada.reubensmother,dora,stretchedmbtshoeslikeelastictofeedandclothetheirfivechildren.nevertheless,heopenedtheshopsweathereddoorandwentinside.standingproudandstraightinhisflour-sackshirtandwashed-outtrousers,hetoldtheshopkeeperwhathewanted,adding,“butidonthavethemoneyrightnow.canyoupleaseholditformeforsometime?”“illtry,”theshopkeepersmiled.“folksaroundpyrotechnicsignalsheredontusuallyhavethatkindofmoneytospendonthings.itshouldkeepforawhile.”reubenrespectfullytouchedhisworncapandwalkedoutintothesunlightwiththebayripplinginafresheningwind.therewaspurposeinhislopingstride5.hewouldraisethefivedollarsandreadingglassesnottellanybody.hearingthesoundofhammeringfromasidestreet,reubenhadanidea.herantowardsthesoundandstoppedatcustomweddingdressesaconstructionsite.peoplebuilttheirownhomesinbayroberts,usingnailspurchasedinhessiansacksfromalocalfactory.sometimesthesackswerediscardedintheflurryofbuilding,andreubenknewhecouldsellthembacktothefactoryforfivecentsapiece.thatdayhefoundtwosacks,whichhetooktothepatekfakewatchesramblingwoodenfactoryandsoldtothemaninchargeofpackingnails.theboyshandtightlyclutchedthefive-centpiecesashecheapjerseyranthetwokilometershome.nearhishousestoodtheancientbarnthathousedthefamilysgoatsandchickens.reubenfoundarustysodatinanddroppedhiscoinsinside.thenheclimbedintotheloftofdvdripperthebarnandhidthetinbeneathapileofsweetsmellinghay.itwasdinnertimewhenreubengothome.hisfathersatatthebigkitchentable,workingonafishingnet.dorawasatthekitchenstove,readytoservedinnerasreubentookhisplacepolot-shirtatthetable.helookedathismotherandsmiled.sunlightfromthewindowgildedhershoulder-lengthblondehair.slimandbeautiful,shewasthecenterofthehome,thegluethathelditgatevalvetogether.herchoreswerenever-ending.sewingclothesforherfamilyontheoldsingertreadlemachine,cookingmealsandbakingbread,plantingandtendingavegetablegarden,milkingsolventred24thegoatsandscrubbingsoiledclothesonawashboard.butshewashappy.herfamilyandtheirwell-beingwereherhighestpriority.everydayafterchoresandschool,reubenscouredthetown,collectingthehessiannailbags.ontoggleswitchthedaythetwo-roomschoolclosedforthesummer,nostudentwasmoredelightedthanreuben.nowhewouldhavemoretimeforhismission.allsummerlong,despitechoresathomeweedingandwateringthegarden,cuttingwoodguccijeansandfetchingwaterreubenkepttohissecrettask.thenalltoosoonthegardenwasharvested,thevegetablescannedandstored,andtheschoolreopened.soontheleavesfellandthewindsblewcoldandgustyfromthebay.reubensafetygoggleswanderedthestreets,diligentlysearchingforhishessiantreasures.oftenhewascold,tiredandhungry,butthethoughtwomenbootsoftheobjectintheshopwindowsustainedhim.sometimeshismotherwouldask:“reuben,wherewereyou?wewerewaitingforyoutohavedinner.”“playing,mum.sorry.”dorawouldlookathisfaceandshakeherhead.boys.finallyspringburstintogloriousgreenandreubensspiritserupted.thetimehade!heranintothebarn,climbedtothehayloftanduncoveredthetincan.hepouredthecoinsoutandbegantocount.thenhecountedagain.heneeded20centsmore.couldtherebeanysacksleftanywhereintown?hehadtofindfourandsellthembeforethedayended.reubenrandownwaterstreet.theshadowswerelengtheningwomenbootswhenreubenarrivedatthefactory.thesackbuyerwasabouttolockup.“mister!pleasedontcloseupyet.”themanturnedandsawreuben,dirtymenshirtsandsweatstained.“comebacktomorrow,boy.”“please,mister.ihavetosellthesacksnowplease.”themanheardatremorinreubensvoiceandcouldtellhewasclosetotears.“whydoyouneedthismoneysobadly?”“itsasecret.”themantookthesacks,reachedintohispocketandputfourcoinsinreubenshand.reubensoccerjerseymurmuredathankyouandranhome.then,clutchingthetincan,heheadedforwholesalemlbjerseystheshop.“ihavethemoney,”hesolemnlytoldtheowner.themanwenttothewindowandretrievedreubenstreasure.hewipedthedustoffandgentlywrappeditinbrownpaper.thenheplacedtheparcelinreubenshands.racinghome,reubenburstthroughthefrontdoor.hismotherwasscrubbingthekitchenstove.“here,mum!here!”reubenexclaimedasherantoherside.heplacedasmallboxinplugvalveherworkroughenedhand.sheunwrappeditcarefully,tosavethepaper.acheapsuprashoesblue-velvetjewelboxappeared.doraliftedthelid,tearsbeginningtoblurhervision.ingoldlette