第24章Flarden
JerryandLorinBiederman
Iamiiesaeeers。Mylifehasbeendifficultbut，bythegraasurvivor。
Mygirlsamuchoftheirchildhoodiersandlivi。Thoughweweretogethersixyears，Inevermarriedthegirls'father。Hep;apos;tholdajobandalthoughIamahardworker，withoutacollegeeduoos;tenoughtosupportus。Hespentmostofmymoneyonhardliquor，andhedidn'tefordays。
&erhethreateokillme（hewasaviolentdrunk），Ipackedupmybabiesandingsandheadedforabetterpartoftown。IfiguredIwouldgivenaygirlsagoodedu，eveoliveo。
Imaofindajobasawaitressatalocalcoffeeshop，andIenrolledmygirlsinagoodpubliyjobdidn'tpayenoughforrent，sowemovedfromsheltertoshelter。Iwasnervousabouttheaddress，soIgotapostoffidusedtheaddressfortheschoolpaperwork。
edwewerehomeless。Mygirlswenttoschooleveryday。Iftheshelterwasnearby，wewalked。Ifwehadto，>
Mygirlsresehemgotofriends'housesasmuchaspossible，aobuythemspecialgifts。But，mostly，thelittlemoneyayfortheirfuture，
actthatwewouldnottellanyonewewerehomelessbecauseIwassurethisfinesp;apos;tallowmydaughtersremainiftheykoursituation。
Oneday，severalyearslater，ohegirlscamebacktotheshelterandtoldmeherfriend'smotherhadihreeofusoverforsuppertheevening。Imaalktothedirectoroftheshelterintoallowihekittobakecookies。
Wekhedoorofabeautifultwo-storyhome。Itotlessandary，themother，reciativeofthecookies。Wehadawonderfulevening，andIknewIhadfoundafriend。
Afewdayslater，Leticia，myyou，e。AndsaidthatMaryhadaskedforourphonenumber。Shewaocallmetogettogether。Leticiatoldherwewerehavihephones，andshewouldhavemecallher。Ihatedthatmygiftshadtolie。
IcalledMaryandagaiogetheratherhouse。SheandIbecamegoodfriends。ItlytoldherthatIwaohaveherovertoourplace，butthenIwouldlieandsaywewerehavihelandlordofourapartmentbuildingorthatsomething，likethestove，theairic。
MarytothecoffeeshoponedayandaskedifIdmybreakwithher。Wetookawalk，aoppedatavathouseafewblotheroad。IthadaFnoutfrontaadorablelittlehome。
Marysaid，“Doyoulikethisplace?”
“Oh，verymuch!”Iexclaimed。“Butit'swayoutofmyleague。”
“os;twedfindout?”Marysaid。Thisupsetme。ItoldherthatthemostIcouldaffordwas$350amonth。
Noonewouldrelittle—especiallythishouse。
&day，MarytothecoffeeshopwithabiggrinonherfadaFninherhands。Shewassoexcitedthatshep;apos;tholdbaews。“Ispokewiththeowhousea?They&apthehousefor$350amonth!Itp;apos;tbemoreperfectforyouandthegirls。”
Itoldher，“That'simpossible。Housesrentforthreetimesthatmuthisneighborhood。”
Sheexplaiheownersdidn'treallyheyjustneededsomeonewhoreciatelivingthereandecialcareofit。
Afewweekslater，wemovedin。WemasomefurheSalvationArmy，Shari，myoldest，tookwoodshopinsadeusafiable。WefixedthepladIevenplantedsomeflowers，whichmademefeellikeIlantingmyroots。Ihopedttime，raisemygifts，andallatoeto。
Butsecrets，I'vefound，don'tusuallystayseonth，Ihadmailedmyreitwasduringtheholidays，andIdidn'twantittobelate，soIdecidedtodropitoffattheappropriatepostofficebox。
IwasstandihepostoffiIheardafamiliarvoiceaskfefromtheboxwhereIse。Ipeekedaroundthelineandwasshoary!
&humbingthroughhermailwhenItouchedherarm。Tearswerestartingtoforminmyeyes，andIcouldbarelyspeak。“Mary，isityourhousein?Didyoudothisforus?”
&herarmaroundmyshoulderaside。Bythetimewereachedthesidewalk，Iwassobbing。Iamaverystrongwomanandtearsdon'teeasily。Ihavebeenthroughalotinoonehadeverbeensokind。
MarytoldmethatLeticiahadslippedaerwewerehomeless。Shesaidsheneverwouldhaveguessed。Thegirlswerealwayssodwelldressed。Shesaiditwasherandherhusband'sfirsthome，andite，thattheyhadowhehtime，anditaidfor。Sheandherhusbandhadtalkedaboutitathehousetous。Shehadn'twaoknowbecauseshewasafraidIwouldthinkit>
Shariisgraduatingfromhighschoolthisyear，andbecausewewereabletosaveenoughmoney，sheisgoingtocollege。
MaryismyEarthAngel，andIwaoknoreciateherkindnessay，andthatIloveher。
IbringMaryfreshflowerseveryweekfrarden。