It’s still light out, and Dad isn’t home yet. He works all day cleaning pools. In South Port. Florida, that means a lot of pools. Mom tells us we need to wait for dinner so all of us can eat together. Even when Dad doesn’t get home until after eight or eight thirty, usually on days when he has to clean the urban pool. I don’t mind. If Dad’s late, it means I can spend more time outside playing basketball with my brother.

A few years ago. when there was more money to spend and life was normal, before some of Dad’s customers who had lost their jobs told him they couldn’t afford to pay Dad to clean their pools anymore, Dad bought us a backboard and hoop (篮筐) and paid someone to install a tall metal pole on the side of the driveway so we could have our own basketball court.

My brother and I would shoot baskets from morning to night if Mom let us. but she says homework always comes first. Still, during the summer months, between part-time jobs delivering newspapers, cutting lawns. and helping Dad clean pools, we come pretty close to spending as much of the day as we can on the court. We practice all sorts of shots. When I was in the court, all the problems of the world seem to fade away. Each time the ball leaves my hands. I feels like I’ve just discovered the secret of flight.

Yesterday Dad came home and told us he’d lost more customers. His shoulders slumped (耷拉) forward with tiredness. and he couldn’t hide the worry in his eyes. He stood a moment by the side of the pickup to stretch his arms and caught his breath, and for a moment he closed his eyes. In that moment the sunlight revealed a lot more wrinkles (皱纹) in his face than I remember.

“We must do something to make Dad courageous again,” I whispered to my brother.

After the basketball match, father was relaxed and refreshed.

Jean’s dream was to be a great chef, so when she was 20, she travelled to France, which has the most famous cuisine in the world, to learn to cook. After twelve years, she was among the best.

Her father, Bob, was getting old, and she wanted to be near him. Jean accepted an offer from one of Washington’s top restaurants. The manager offered her a handsome salary, and 30% ownership of the restaurant. The next day, Jean went to sign the contract. As she got out of the car, she caught sight of a green sunshade. Instead of going to meet the manager, she crossed the street towards the old restaurant, Fargonetti’s. She pushed open the door and the memories came flooding back.

Jean’s mum died when she was just 11, and her father lost his job and was forced to freelance (从事自由职业). Money was very short. When Jean turned thirteen, Bob had made a reservation at Fargonetti’s, the capital’s best restaurant.

“I’m not hungry, baby girl. I had a huge breakfast,” Bob said. “This is all for you!” “Oh,” Jean cried. “Daddy was so silly! He’s been saving to come here for lunch for MONTHS and now he ruined his appetite with breakfast!” The waiter, Carl Bader, immediately realised what was going on and went to Mr Fargonetti, the restaurant owner, and told him about Jean and Bob.

An hour later, surprisingly, the waiter brought wonderful dishes and set them before the father and daughter. “Lunch is on the house with Mr Fargoneti’s compliments (致意),” Carl said. For Bob and Jean, it was a free but magical meal. They were on cloud nine when they walked out. “Jean,“ said Bob happily. “I feel our luck has changed!” And it did! The next day, one of Bob’s old friends called and offered him a job at a new magazine, and Jean believed Fargonetti’s had made it all happen. That was when she decided to become a chef!

Twenty years later, the old restaurant looked run-down and sad, but Jean recognised the waiter immediately. “Carl?” she asked delightedly.

The man looked surprised.

Jean was staring at Carl and a brilliant idea was taking shape in her mind.

Mary Lee seemed to have everything. She was very beautiful with a wonderful figure and an attractive face. She was very rich. Her clothes were better than anyone else’s and she had more of them. Her books were always new and expensive as were her pens, school bags and bicycle. She was very clever too and without appearing to do very much work. She was always the first in all the examinations and always answered all the questions, while the rest of the class were still thinking.

With all this, or really because of all this, no one liked Mary Lee. She was too good, too clever and she was also very proud. No one was quite good enough to talk to her or to be seen with her or to be her friend. And so, with all her proud ways and riches and brains, she was lonely but she did not care because she was always the best in everything. She was like a princess in the class. She always thought that the other students kept their distance from her because she was too excellent. “Lions and tigers are always lonely, and only the weak get together,” she told herself.

As the end of term drew near, the pupils including Mary Lee began to think about the most important prize of all. This was the prize, offered by the principal, for the best essay to be written on one of two subjects: Happiness and Friendship. All the teachers and pupils paid close attention to the prize, for it was really a great honor. “I needn’t worry about that,” thought Mary Lee, as the others began to read and to think about the essay. “I shall easily win. After all, my compositions are always better than the other students’.”

“Pride goes before a fall,” they say and it certainly did in the case of poor Mary Lee.

Mary Lee suddenly realized that how silly she had been.

As I sat on the bus waiting to arrive at school, the sun shining, I just sat there full of excitement ready to enjoy the first day of spring. At last, the bus stopped and I started my day.

The whole day I was waiting for one thing, noon break. As the day passed by, I heard the bell rang and everyone rushed out of the door. I hurried and ate lunch just to get outside.

As soon as I was out, my close friend, Riley called me over to play basketball. We all started playing and time flew by as we heard the timekeeper yell, “10 more minutes.” From that point on, the game sped up. Score after score, the competition process was more intense. I passed it to my teammate, Austin, and he dished it back as I pulled up a shot. I felt as if the world around me were barely moving, and all I concentrated on was the ball going to the hoop (篮筐). Not knowing I was pushed back hard, I hit the ground. A huge pain entered my left ankle. I wanted to scream, but I didn’t, hearing the people around me shout for help. I just lay there as Riley came over to pick me up and Austin fetched a wheelchair from the school clinic. Both of them helped me sit on the wheelchair. It seemed like the whole school circled around me as I was being pushed away.

The moment we entered the clinic where I always felt nervous, I didn’t think my ankle hurt as badly as it did just now, so I said, “I’m okay.” Then they had to send me back to class without any treatment. The rest of the day I felt my ankle swelling (肿) up and I thought of how stupid I was to say that my ankle didn’t hurt in the clinic. “I should have gone home.” I thought to myself as I was thrown through this terrible pain. After school, I worried how to go back home.

Just then I found Riley come in with an ice pack in his hand.

As we went out, we were surprised to find Austin holding some medicinal oil.

DRUMMING WITH GRANDPA

Roger was filled with excitement as his mother told him his grandfather was on his way over. He always had fun together with his grandfather who once drummed in a band. They could make the whole house shake with their joyful music. Roger got excited and practiced drumming all morning.

Finally, Dad's car pulled up in front of the house. Upon hearing the car door opened. Roger shouted for joy from his bedroom window, "Hi, Grandpa! Listen to this!” Taking a deep breath, he raised his drumsticks and began rocking and rolling, just like Grandpa had taught him. Jumping up. he raced outside to his grandfather and asked, "Grandpa. what do you think? Are you ready to drum together?" Grandpa, giving Roger a hug, said. "It was wonderful, but I'm afraid I can't play right now.” Dad smiled at Roger, telling him some of Grandpa's finger joints were hurting him and that maybe he would want to play after a short rest. Roger didn't ask again.

After lunch, Roger went to his room to get his skateboard, finding someone had already stepped into the room. It was Grandpa who stood near the drum set. He picked up a drumstick and began to play. Thump! Thump! But just with two thumps, the drumstick fell onto the floor. Grandpa reached for it, trying to pick it up, but the drumstick fell out of his hand. He tried again and the same thing happened. Grandpa moved his red and swollen fingers, looking upset. Seeing this, Roger shut the door noiselessly. He walked to the sitting room where Dad was reading and asked Dad to drive him to his friend's house. "David has a drum with the pedal （踏板）and I'd like to borrow it," Roger told Dad about his plan. Dad got the car keys and off they went.

''Grandpa, a surprise!” Roger shouted when they returned with a big box.

Slowly, Grandpa reached out his foot and pushed the pedal as Roger did.

My parents love the saying “If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" so much that they even bought a pillow with those words on it. But I was recently in a situation where I was SO ready to give up.

It started last week when my friend Ollie and I were helping his grandmother Mary to carry boxes from her garage to her car for the homeless shelter rummage sale (义卖).

At the sight of a big old trunk (行李箱)，we asked Mary what was inside. But she told us that as she had lost the key, she had to find a master locksmith to figure it out. "Let me have a try!" said Ollie. “I bet I can open that lock in two minutes flat! Maybe there's a treasure inside, like gold or diamonds or an ancient map!"

Mary smiled. "I'll tell you what. If you two treasure hunters can open this trunk, you can have it, along with whatever is inside."

Ollie got a tool kit and we set out to open the lock. But he definitely lost that bet. Those two minutes turned into two hours, with no luck at all. We had tried every tool in the kit, but the lock wouldn't move slightly.

“It's no use." Ollie sighed. "I guess we have to give up."

“But we can't give up!" I said. "What about 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again"?"

Ollie shook his head. "Unless you know a magical key fairy, we're never getting this unlocked."

Just then, my little brother Tex showed up. He showed great interest in the trunk. "It looks like an upside-down boat! Can I turn it over and pretend I'm sailing in the ocean?"

"Sure," Ollie replied. "It's no good for anything else."

“Ahoy!" Tex said, climbing on top after Ollie and I turned it over. “I’m the captain!” He giggled as he jumped up and down. And right then, a screw (螺丝) from a hinge (铰链) came loose and rolled to the floor.

“That's it! I know how to open it!" said Ollie.

Oh! There were only lots of shoes in the trunk!