Penny and penny laid up will be many.

She was six years old when I met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach whenever the world begins to close in on me. She was building a sandcastle and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea. “Hello,” she said. I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child. I was depressed: my life seemed completely out of balance.

“What’s your name?” She wouldn't give up. “Ruth,” I answered. “Mine’s Wendy....I’m six.” She giggled, “Nice to meet you, Miss Ruth. Do you want to play? Maybe we can build something together. You’ll be happy!” She looked at me eagerly, waiting for my answer.

I just couldn’t refuse this lovely creature. I asked her: “Why don’t you go to school?” “I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on vacation.” She chattered little girl talk as we built the sandcastle. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day. Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed. She pointed toward a row of summer cottages and told me she lives there.

Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy when Wendy caught up with me, “I’d rather be alone today.” She seems unusually pale and out of breath. “Why?” she asked. I turned to her and shouted, “Because my mother died!” “Oh,” she said quietly, “then this is a bad day.” “Yes, go away!” “Did it hurt when she died?” “Of course!” I shouted. She didn’t say anything more, tears rolling down her face.

A month or so after that, when I went to the beach, she wasn’t there. Feeling guilty, ashamed and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage and knocked at the door.

A drawn-looking(憔悴的) young woman with red and swollen eyes opened the door.

“She left something for you,” her mum’s voice trembled and handed me an envelop.

After sixteen years of waiting, Brian finally got his driver’s license. Just about two months after receiving his license, Brian asked if he could take the family car and spend a day at the state fair with a friend. His parents agreed happily and wished him a pleasant trip. So with that, Brian pulled out of the driveway and waved goodbye to his parents.

Colin didn’t live far—maybe ten or fifteen minutes away. And it wasn’t long before both boys were on their way downtown to the fair. Their drive was on a winding two-lane road with a few small hills. They followed the road to the left, slowly curved back to the right, and then proceeded up toward the crest of a hill. All of a sudden, there was a crash. It all happened so fast.

“Are you OK?” Brian asked his buddy.

“I think so. What just happened?” Colin responded.

“We just had an accident.”

Slowly the boys began to regain their senses. Brian unbuckled(解开) his seat belt and stepped outside to assess the damage. It looked as if the entire left side of the car were one big dent(凹陷). The windows on the driver’s side were in a thousand pieces, and the doors were crunched. Soon the police arrived and surveyed the scene. The police dealt with the accident quickly, then they let all people leave and go back on their way.

The fair was unthinkable under the circumstances. Brain thought it’s best to get Colin home safe before making the journey to his own house. When they reached Colin’s house, Colin climbed out of the car and wished his shaken friend luck.

“Be honest to your parents and don’t worry. It wasn’t your fault.” Colin said, trying to be upbeat.

“I know... I think. But it’s not going to be easy to break this to them. It’s their car.”Brian pointed the car in the direction of his house and drove.

Brian’s mind began to fill with questions and confusion.

As he neared the house, he saw his parents outside working in the front yard.

Rikki’s mom was preparing baked beans and mixing up potato salad to go with Saturday night barbecue when Rikki stormed in the front door and marched to her room. She glanced out the window and saw their neighbor Lexi walking back to her house across the road. Mother’s intuition told herself this situation might need some direction.

“Rikki, come in here. I need some help with dinner.” Rikki came out with an obstinate look on her face — the kind that kids have when they know they are wrong but have convinced themselves they are right.

“I noticed that Lexi came over but didn’t stay long. She is your age and in your class at school. Why doesn’t she stay longer?” Mom watched Rikki out of the corner of her eye as she continued to prepare food. “I don’t like her,” Rikki whined. “I wish she would stop coming over here all the time. She dresses terrible, and sometimes she doesn’t smell good. Her nose is always runny, and her hair is tangled. None of us like her.” Mom knew that “none of us” meant the popular crowd Rikki ran with.

“That’s not her fault, Rikki. I don’t know what her family is like, but maybe she doesn’t have anyone to help her. Some kids don’t have the extra things that you and your friends have. That doesn’t make them any less worthy than you.” Rikki replied that she knew that, and those things were not the real issue. “I just don’t like to play with her, Momma. She doesn’t like to do the same things that I do.”

Mom told Rikki to go on outside and play. What she didn’t know, however, was that Rikki’s dad had been watching while he was grilling. He didn’t like the fact that Rikki had ignored Lexi, so he decided to intervene. He wanted to know why Lexi was leaving with her head down and looking so sad.