最好的朋友(Best Friends)

高一時(shí)，有一天，我見(jiàn)同學(xué)凱爾從學(xué)校步行回家。他好像把所有的書(shū)都搬了回去。我暗想，“星期五他搬這么多書(shū)干嘛啊，他肯定是個(gè)書(shū)蟲(chóng)。”

我有一個(gè)很好的周末計(jì)劃（聚會(huì)、明天下午和朋友踢足球），于是，我聳聳肩，就往前走。忽然，我看見(jiàn)了一群小孩子向他沖過(guò)去，他懷里的書(shū)被撞下來(lái)撒了一地，人也被絆倒了，眼鏡飛到10英尺遠(yuǎn)的草地上。他抬起頭來(lái)，我看見(jiàn)他眼里飽含淚水，滿是悲傷。他正在地上趴著找他的眼鏡，于是，我跑過(guò)去，把眼鏡遞給他，說(shuō)道：“這些家伙真該千刀萬(wàn)剮，他們不會(huì)好過(guò)的。”他看著我說(shuō)：“謝謝你！”露出真誠(chéng)而感激的微笑。

我?guī)退麙饡?shū)，問(wèn)他住哪里。原來(lái)他就住我家附近，于是我就問(wèn)怎么以前從沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)。他說(shuō)他過(guò)去一直在私立學(xué)校讀書(shū)。我?guī)退弥鴷?shū)，我們邊走邊聊。我發(fā)現(xiàn)他很有個(gè)性。我問(wèn)他星期六想不想跟我和朋友們踢足球，他答應(yīng)了。越了解凱爾，我就月喜歡他，我的朋友們也有同感。

星期一的早晨，我看見(jiàn)凱爾又抱著一大堆書(shū)，我攔住他問(wèn)：“好家伙，你是不是每天搬書(shū)鍛煉肌肉啊！”他只是笑笑，遞給我一半書(shū)。之后的四年里，我和凱爾成了最好的朋友。

到高年級(jí)時(shí)，我們開(kāi)始考慮上大學(xué)的事了。凱爾決定去喬治敦大學(xué)，我想去杜克大學(xué)。我知道，我們將是永遠(yuǎn)的朋友，距離不是問(wèn)題。

凱爾是我們班致畢業(yè)辭的代表，我一直取笑他是只書(shū)蟲(chóng)，他必須準(zhǔn)備畢業(yè)演講稿了。我很慶幸不是我站在那致告別辭。畢業(yè)那天，我看著凱爾，他說(shuō)的很棒，戴著眼鏡顯得很英俊。他的約會(huì)比我的多，所有的女孩子都喜歡他。

噢，有時(shí)我還很嫉妒他，就像今天。我看出他有些緊張，便拍了拍他的后背，說(shuō)道：“嘿，朋友，你會(huì)成功的！”他又用那種真誠(chéng)而感激的表情看著我，笑道，“謝謝。”然后，清了清嗓子，開(kāi)始演講。

“畢業(yè)的時(shí)刻，要感謝所有幫助你走出困境的人，你的父母，老師，兄弟，教練……但更重要的是，你的朋友。在這里我要說(shuō)的是，友情是你給別人最好的禮物。我要給你們講一個(gè)故事。”當(dāng)他講到我們初次見(jiàn)面的那一天時(shí)，我看著他，簡(jiǎn)直不敢相信這是真的。

那個(gè)周末，他打算自殺。他說(shuō)他把櫥柜清理得很干凈——這樣，他媽媽就不用做了，然后他把所有的東西搬回家。他注視著我，露出淺淺的微笑。“幸運(yùn)的是，我得救了，我的朋友把我從那難以啟齒的苦痛中救了出來(lái)。”

我聽(tīng)到人群的唏噓聲，這個(gè)受歡迎的英俊男生說(shuō)出了他最脆弱的時(shí)刻。我看見(jiàn)他的父母看著我，露出同樣充滿感激的微笑。直到這時(shí)，我才知道了它的深意。

Best Friends

One day,when I was a freshman in high school,I saw a kid from my class who was walking home from school.His name was Kyle.It looked like he was carrying all of his books.I thought to myself,”Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?He must really be a nerd.”

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon),so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.As I was walking ,I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.They ran at him,knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.His glasses went flying,and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.So,I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses,and I saw a tear in his eyes.As I handed him his glasses,I said,”Those guys are jerks.They really should not get lives.”He looked at me and said,”Hey thanks!”There was a big smile on his face.It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his book,and asked him where he lived.As it turned out,he lived near me,so I asked him why I had never seen him before.He said he had gone to a private school before now.We talked all the way home,and I carried his books.He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with my friends and me.He said yes.The more I got to know Kyle,the more I liked him.And my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came,and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.I stopped him and said,”Damn boy,you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!”He just laughed and handed me half the books.Over the next four years,Kyle and I became best friends.

When we were seniors,we began to think about college.Kyle decided on Georgetown,and I was going to Duke.I knew that we would always be friends,that the miles would never be a problem.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.I teased him all the time about being a nerd.He had to prepare a speech for graduation.I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.Graduation day,I saw Kyle.He looked great.He filled out and actually looked good in glasses,He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him!

Boys,sometimes I was jealous.Today was one of those days,I could see that he was nervous about his speech.So,I smacked him on the back and said,”Hey,big guy,you’ll be great!”He looked at me with one of those looks(the really grateful one) and smiled.”Thanks,”he said.As he started his speech,he cleared his throat,and began.

“Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.Your parents,your teachers,your siblings,maybe a coach...but mostly your friends.I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give him or her.I am going to tell you a story.”I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.

He had planned to kill himself over the weekend .He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.”Thankfully,I was saved.My friend save me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome,popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.

Never underestimate the power of your action.With one small gesture you can change a person’s life.For better or for worse.