洛倫·賽伯爾德/Loren Seibold
Once there was a boy who lived in a big house on a hill. He loved dogs and horses, sports cars and music. He climbed trees and went swimming, played football and admired pretty girls. Except for having to pick up after himself, he had a nice life.
One day the boy said to God，“I've been thinking, and I know what I want when I become a man.”
“What?”asked God.
“I want to live in a big house with a porch across the front and two Saint Bernards and a garden out back. I want to marry a woman who is tall and very beautiful and kind, who has long, black hair and blue eyes, and who plays the guitar and sings in a clear, high voice.”
“I want three strong sons to play football with. When they grow up, one will be a great scientist, one will be a Senator and the youngest will quarterback for the 49ers.”
“I want to be an adventurer who sails vast oceans and climbstall mountains and rescues people. And I want to drive a red Ferrari and never have to pick up after myself.”
“That sounds like a nice dream，”said God，“I want you to be happy.”
One day, playing football, the boy hurt his knee. After that he couldn't climb tall mountains or even tall trees, much less sail vast oceans. So he studied marketing and started a medical-supplies business.
He married a girl who was very beautiful and very kind and who had long, black hair. But she was short, not tall, and had brown eyes, not blue. She couldn't play the guitar, or even sing. But she prepared wonderful meals seasoned with rare Chinese spices and painted magnificent pictures of birds.
Because of his business, he lived in a city near the top of a tall apartment building that overlooked the blue ocean and the city's twinkling lights. He didn't have room for two Saint Bernards, but he had a fuffy cat.
He had three daughters, all very beautiful. The youngest, who was in a wheelchair, was the loveliest. The three daughters loved their father very much. They didn't play football with him, but sometimes they went to the park and tossed a Frisbee—except for the youngest, who sat under a tree strumming her guitar and singing lovely, haunting songs.