'The Scholarship Jacket'Word文件下载.docx

'The Scholarship Jacket'Word文件下载.docx

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MyoldestsisterRosiehadwonthejacketafewyearsbackandIfullyexpectedtowinalso.Iwasfourteenandintheeighthgrade.IhadbeenastraightAstudentsincethefirstgrade,andthelastyearIhadlookedforwardtoowningthatjacket.Myfatherwasafarmlaborerwhocouldn'

tearnenoughmoneytofeedeightchildren,sowhenIwassixIwasgiventomygrandparentstoraise.Wecouldn'

tparticipateinsportsinschoolbecausetherewereregistrationfees,uniformcosts,andtripsoutoftown;

soeventhoughwewerequiteagileandathletictherewouldneverbeasportsschooljacketforus.Thisone,thescholarshipjacket,wasouronlychance.

InMay,closetograduation,springfeverstruck,andnoonepaidanyattentioninclass;

insteadwestaredoutthewindowsandateachother,wantingtospeedupthelastfewweeksofschool.IdespairedeverytimeIlookedinthemirror.Pencilthin,notacurveanywhere,Iwascalled“Beanpole"

and"

StringBean"

andIknewthat'

swhatIlookedlike.Aflatchest,nohips,andabrain,that'

swhatIhad.Thatreallyisn'

tmuchforafourteen-year-oldtoworkwith,Ithought,asIabsentmindedlywanderedfrommyhistoryclassinthegym.Anotherhourofsweatinginbasketballanddisplayingmytoothpicklegswascomingup.ThenIrememberedmyP.E.shortswerestillinabagundermydeskwhereI'

dforgottenthem.Ihadtowalkallthewaybackandgetthem.CoachThompsonwasarealbearifanyonewasn'

tdressedforP.E.ShehadsaidIwasagoodforwardandoncesheeventriedtotalkGrandmaintolettingmejointheteam.Grandma,ofcourse,saidno.

Iwasalmostbackatmyclassroom'

sdoorwhenIheardangryvoicesandarguing.Istopped.Ididn'

tmeantoeavesdrop;

Ijusthesitated,notknowingwhattodo.IneededthoseshortsandIwasgoingtobelat,butIdidn'

twanttointerruptanargumentbetweenmyteachers.Irecognizedthevoices;

Mr.Schmidt,myhistoryteacher,andMr.Boone,mymathteacher.Theyseemedtobearguingaboutme.Icouldn'

tbelieveit.IstillremembertheshockthatrootedmeflatagainstthewallasifIweretryingtoblendinwiththegraffitiwrittenthere.111refusetodoit!

Idon'

tcarewhoherfatheris,hergradesdon'

tevenbegintocomparetoMartha'

s.Iwon'

tlieorfalsifyrecords.MarthahasastraightAplusaverageandyouknowit"

ThatwasMr.Schmidtandhesoundedveryangry.Mr.Boone'

svoicesoundedcalmandquiet.

“Look,Joann'

sfatherisnotonlyontheBoard,heownstheonlystoreintown;

wecouldsayitwasaclosetieand..."

Thepoundinginmyearsdrownedouttherestiftheword'

sonlyawordhereandtherefilteredthrough.ll...MarthaisMexican...resign...won'

tdoit..."

Mr.Schmidtcamerushingout,luckilyformewentdowntheoppositewastowardtheauditorium,sohedidn'

tseeme.Shaking,Iwaitedafewminutesandthenwentinandgrabmybagandfledfromtheroom.Mr.BoonelookedupwhenIcameinbutdidn'

tsayanything.TothisdayIdon'

trememberifIgotintroubleinP.E.forbeinglateorhowImadeitthroughtherestoftheafternoon.Iwenthomeverysadandcriedintomypillowthatnightsograndmotherwouldn'

thearme.ItseemedacruelcoincidencethatIhadoverheardthatconversation.

Thenextdaywhentheprincipalcalledmeintotheoffice,Iknewwhatitwouldbeabout.Helookeduncomfortableandunhappy.IdecidedIwasn'

tgoingtomakeiteasierforhimsoIlookedhimstraightintheeye.Helookedawayandfidgetedwiththepapersonhisdesk.

“Martha,"

hesaid,"

there'

sbeenachangeinpolicythisyearregardingthescholarshipjacket.Asyouknow,ithasalwaysbeenfree."

Heclearedhisthroatandcontinued."

ThisyeartheBoarddecidedtochangefifteendollars一whichstillwon'

tcoverthecompletecostofthejacket"

.

Istaredathiminshockandasmallsoundofdismayescapedbythroat.Ihadn'

texpectedthis.Hestillavoidedlookinginmyeye'

s.

Soifyouareunabletopaythefifteendollarsforthejacket,itwillbegiventothenextoneinline."

StandingwithallthedignityIcouldmuster,Isaid,I,llspeaktomygrandfatheraboutit,sir,andletyouknowtomorrow."

Icriedonthewalkhomefromthebusstop.Thedirtroadwasaquarterofamilefromthehighway,sobythetimeIgothome,myeyeswereredandpuffy.

Where'

sGrandpa?

IaskedGrandma,lookingdownatthefloorsoshewouldn'

taskmewhyI'

dbeencrying.Shewassewingonaquiltanddidn'

tlookup.

111thinkhe'

sout