溫馨夜讀II PART2 13.A Coke and a Smile

[00:00.62]13.A Coke and a Smile [00:05.96]I know now that the man who sat with me on the old wooden stairs that hot summer night over thirty-five years ago was not a tall man. [00:14.78]But to a five-year-old, he was a giant. [00:18.48]“Thirsty?” Grandpa asked. [00:20.66]“Yes,” was my reply. [00:23.05]“How about running over to the gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke?” [00:29.04]I couldn’t believe my ears. [00:32.26]On my family’s modest income, Coke was not a part of our budget or diet. [00:37.16]“Okay,” I replied shyly. [00:39.77]Grandpa reached his huge hand deep into the pocket and took out some silver coins. [00:45.98]He instructed me to pick out a dime and then stood up. [00:49.58]“Okay,” he said, helping me down the stairs and to the curb, [00:53.06]“I’m going to stay here and I’ll tell you when it’s safe to cross. [00:57.75]You go over to the Coke machine, get your Coke and come back. [01:01.88]Wait for me to tell you when it’s safe to cross back.” [01:05.70]My heart pounded. I clutched my dime tightly in my sweaty palm. [01:11.57]Grandpa held my hand tightly. [01:14.41]Together we looked up the street and down. [01:17.35]He told me it was safe to cross. [01:19.74]I ran faster than I had ever run before. [01:23.01]Reaching the other side, I turned to find Grandpa. [01:25.84]There he was, standing exactly where I had left him, smiling proudly. I waved. [01:32.04]“Go on, hurry up,” he yelled. [01:34.22]My heart pounded wildly as I heard the Coca-Cola machine motor humming. [01:39.34]I walked directly to the big old red-and-white dispenser. [01:43.15]I knew where to insert my dime. [01:45.44]I had seen it done before and had fantasized about this moment many times. [01:50.56]The big old monster greedily accepted my dime. [01:54.69]On tiptoes I reached up and opened the heavy door and grabbed one. [01:58.95]The bottle was cold in my sweaty hands. [02:02.10]I will never forget the feeling of the cool glass on my skin. [02:05.70]Coke in hand, I proudly turned back to find Grandpa. [02:09.61]He was waiting patiently. He smiled. [02:12.99]“Stop right there,” he yelled. One or two cars sped by me. [02:18.67]“Come on, now,” he said, “run.” I did. “Don’t ever do that alone,” he warned. [02:24.58]I held the Coke bottle tightly, fearful he would make me pour it into a cup, ruining my dream. [02:31.68]He didn’t. One long swallow of the cold cola cooled my sweating body. [02:37.15]I don’t think I ever felt so proud.

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