Online Safety

The snowstorm was supposed to hit the evening of Monday, Jan. 31. I was working from home but I had to leave that afternoon and go to my office to sign an emergency financial aid check for a student. The route to the office took about 30 minutes along the highway. When I got there, my colleague came to my office to co-sign the check, and left. As I was packing up, I noticed he had left his laptop bag in my office.

“I can bring it to you,” I assured him. It was just past 4:30 p. m. The snow wasn’t supposed to start until later. On the way to his place, I picked up a new cellphone charger, and filled up my SUV with gas.

It took me about 15 minutes to get to my colleague’s house, where I dropped off the laptop case and got back on the road. Then the snow started, and it was coming down fast. Within minutes, the windows were fogging up and getting covered with snow, so I rolled down my driver’s side window, thinking I could better follow the edge of the road and keep to a straight line. But really, I didn’t have a clue where I was or even which side of the road I was on.

I called 911, but the dispatcher (调度员) told me that nobody was coming to get me until morning at the earliest. The storm would continue for longer than predicted and I worried I’d freeze to death.

Breathe, I told myself. Panicking won’t help.

I stopped the car, pinning my location on Google Maps, figuring out that I was on a road called Bouvier Lane, in between two farms. I posted this new information to my Facebook community group, pleading for anyone who knew who lived on the farms to help me get rescued.

At 8 p. m., my cellphone rang. It was the son of the farmer, André Bouvier, who owned the land beside the road I was stuck in. He told me that his dad had just helped two other cars get to his house, a father and his two kids, and a couple with their daughter. He comforted me that his dad was coming to get me.

Then, about 45 minutes later, I saw a tall figure, pacing toward me in the dark, carrying a flashlight.

We reached the house at last, I driving slowly behind Andre Bouvier.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain (排空) the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened (使……有趣) by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm among flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described the full picture in great detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band-he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window described it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window.

The man was happy to get such a wonderful treat.       

A Father’s Day Surprise

“Mano, do you know when Father’s Day is celebrated?” Ali asked his sister.

“Yes, it is going to be celebrated on June 19 this year. Yesterday my friend and I were talking about it.” Mano replied.

“Do you have any idea how we should celebrate this day and make it memorable for Dad?” Ali asked.

“Hmm... I was thinking about it too and have some ideas.” Mano answered excitedly. “What are you kids talking about?” their mum asked, entering their room.

“Mum, we were wondering about how to celebrate Father’s Day.” Mano said.

“Oh, I am surprised you kids remembered! Well, I am thinking of cooking some favorite dishes for your father. You both should think of ways to decorate the house beautifully.”Mum said.

“That would be great!”said Mano and Ali together. Both of them got up smiling, thinking of hundreds of ways to celebrate Father’s Day. Mum went to the kitchen, and Mano and Ali started doing their homework. But soon Ali noticed Mano deep in thought so he asked what the matter was. “Ali, I was thinking that our parents do everything for us and in return they want nothing. Isn’t it bad that we never think about them and are always concerned about our needs?” Mano replied. “Sometimes we are so busy with our lives that we don’t pay proper attention to our parents. We should listen to whatever they say properly and answer them. We must also study hard to get good grades.” Ali nodded.

The next day, all three of them, Mano, Ali and their mum, got busy preparing their surprise celebration for Father’s Day. Mano drew a family picture with her crayons, Ali bought balloons and candles and began writing a poem which he planned to sing that day. In short, a lot of things were being planned and prepared.

Finally, when Father’s day came, both Ali and Mano came home from school and started decorating the house.

Ali and Mano cried out together, “Happy Father’s Day!”

George was so excited he could hardly wait to get to the store. He walked so fast that his sister Beth had to run. “Do you have to hurry like that?” she puffed. On his way from school he had seen that baseball cap in Rogers’ store window. Only a dollar and this was the last cap! George had looked at the cap a long time. He wanted it more than anything. Every boy at school had one.

George thought of his piggy hank, into which he put every coin for running errands (差使) for his family and neighbors.

George raced home, not stopping for anything. He held the fat iron pig, opened it carefully, and poured out the coins. Ten...twenty...thirty...ninety cents. If only he had one more dime (一角硬币)!

Lost in thought, George stared out the window. “What’s wrong, George?” asked Mother George told about the money and the cap. “If you give me what you have, I’ll add a dime,” Mother said, handing him a dollar bill.

George jumped up. “Oh, thanks, Mom. That’s great!” George gave all his coins to Mother and took the dollar bill. And away went George and Beth to the store with the dollar bill in George’s pocket.

They turned the last comer. Ahead was a group of boys and girls, talking heatedly and looking down at the sidewalk.

One of the children was Ronny, a new boy who had been in this town only a short time. Ronny’s father had been sick, so there wasn’t much money for extras - like baseball cap.

“What’s the matter?” Beth asked, anxiously.

“It’s Ronny,” answered one of them. “He’s been working and finally saved up a whole dollar, and now it’s lost!”

George went over to Ronny.

“We’ll all help look. We’ll find it!”

“I was going to get that last cap in Rogers’ window. I wanted it a lot. With that cap, I could join them.” Ronny said slowly.

Suddenly George remembered how Ronny had watched the fellows playing baseball, his eyes lighting up eagerly as they shouted and ran.

George stared at the ground, thinking hard.

Forcing a smile, George showed Beth the empty pocket.

Twins Katie and Sarah Monahan arrived at Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg College. They were determined to strike out on independent paths. Although the 18-year-old sisters had requested rooms in different dormitory, the housing office placed them on the eighth floor of the same building, across the hall from each other.

Katie was a very lovely and kind-hearted girl. She always did her best to prevent others from any problem. Once the dormitory was out of electricity and her roommate. Windy was studying in the classroom only leaving Katie alone in the dormitory at that time Katie had just finished her favourite horrible American TV series. She felt very scared. But she didn’t want to disturb Windy, so she just stayed in the dark dormitory alone till Windy got back to the dormitory. Windy was a nice girl too. She gave Katie a lot of comfort and care. She would like to make Katie relax after stressful study. She often shared her happiness with Katie. They lived a very happy life together.

While Katie got along with her roommate, Sarah was always cold, but Lily never wanted to turn on the heat, even though it was snowing heavily outside. Sarah liked wearing fur in winter and she also enjoyed cutting up frogs in biology class. But Lily is an vegetarian (素食主义者) and believed all living things are holy (神圣的), even ants and mosquitoes. She and her roommate silently warred over matters ranging from when the lights should be turned off to how the furniture should be arranged. Finally, they gave up communicating.

One day, there was a dormitory contest, which needed roommates to join hands to decorate their dormitory. Sarah wanted to win in the contest but she thought it was impossible for her to finish it because she didn’t talk with Lily.

Depressed and hopeless, Sarah ran across the hall to seek help from Katie.

Hearing what Katie said, both Sarah and Lily lowered their heads.