I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas girls．I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself．1 would be in here forever and I just had SO much to do．Christmas was be—ginning to become such a drag．I kind of wished that I could just sleep through Christmas．But I hurried the best I could through all the people to the toy department．Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys．and wondered if the grandkids would even play whit them．
I found myself in the doll aisle．Out of the comer of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll．He kept touching her hair and he held her SO gently．I could not seem to help myself．I just kept looking Over at the liule boy and wondered who the doll was for．1 watched him tum to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said，“Are you sure I don’t have enough money？”She replied a bit impatiently．“You know that you don’t have enough money for it．”The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere that she had to go and get some other things and would be back in a few minutes．And then she left the aisle．The boy con—finued to hold the doll．
After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for，He said，“It is thedoll my sister wanted SO badly for Christmas．She just knew that Santawould bring it．”I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it．Hesaid，“No，Santa can’t go where my sister is…I have to give the doll tomy Mama to take to her．”I asked him where his sister was．He looked atme with the saddest eyes and said，“She was gone to be with Jesus．MyDaddy says that Mamma is going to have to go be with her．”
My heart nearly stopped beating．Then the boy looked at me againand said，“I told my Daddy to tell my Mama not to go yet．I told him totell her to wait till I got back from the store．”Then he asked me if 1wanted to see his picture．I told him I’d love to．He pulled out some pic—ture he’d had taken at the front of the store．He said，“1 want my Mamato take this with her SO the doesn’t ever forget me．I love my Mama SO very much and 1 wish she did not have to leave me．But Daddy says she will need tO be with my sister．”
I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown SO qui—et．While he was not looking I reached into my purse and pilled out a handful of bills．I asked the little boy，“Shall we count that money onemore time？”He grew excited and said，“Yes，I just know it has to be e—hough．”So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it．Of course it was plenty for the doll．He softly said，“Thank you Jesus for giving me enough money．”Then the boy said，“I just asked Jesus to give me enough money tO buy this doll SO Mama can take it with her to give my sister．And he heard my prayer．1 wanted to ask him give for e-nough to buy my Mama a white rose，but I didn’t ask him，but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Mama．She loves white rose so much．”In a few minutes the aunt came back and 1 wheeled my cart a— wayi：
I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started．And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier a—bout a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little gift and the Mother was in serious condition．The family was deciding on whether to remove the life support．Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story．
Two days later I read in the paper where the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died．I could not forget the lit—tle boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected．Lat—er that day，I could not help myself and 1 went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young woman was．And there she was holding a lovely white rose，the beautiful doll，and the picture of the little boy in the store．I left there in tears，their life changed forever．
The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was o—verwhelming．And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces．
department n．部门，机关，系
mumble v．含糊地说，咕哝着说；抿着嘴嚼；含糊地说话，咕哝
purse n．钱包，金钱，小钱袋
v．缩拢；撅起；皱起
wheeled adj．有轮的；用轮子行走的
disconnected adj．分离的，切断的，不连贯的
overwhelming adj．压倒性的，无法抵抗的
rip n．裂口；破洞；裂缝；巨澜；激浪，回流；生活放荡的人
v．撕，剥，扯；劈，锯；划破；凿开玩具
娃娃和白色攻瑰
我匆匆赶到百货商店，想在最后的几分钟里买上几样圣诞礼物。看到店里汹涌的人潮，我心里十分烦闷。看来我可能要一直待在这儿了，可还有许多事等着我去做。圣诞节似乎永远也过不完，我甚至想干脆在昏睡中过完圣诞节得了。可我还得尽快穿过人群，到玩具部那儿去。看到这些玩具的标价，我心里嘀咕：这是给孩子们玩的吗？
我来到摆放玩具娃娃的柜台前，看见一个五岁左右的男孩，他正抱着一个可爱的玩具娃娃。他轻轻地抱着它，不停地抚摸着它的头发。我的眼睛无法从他身上移开，心里想，他要把这玩具娃娃送给谁呢？我看到他转向一个女人，他叫她阿姨，对她说：“你确定我的钱不够吗？”她有些不耐烦地说：“你知道你没有足够的钱来买它的。”这位阿姨告诉小男孩在这里呆着别乱跑，她去买些其他东西，一会儿就回来，然后她便离开了。小男孩继续抱着那个玩具娃娃。
过了片刻，我问男孩这玩具娃娃是给谁买的。他说：“这个玩具娃娃是我姐姐想要的圣诞礼物。她知道圣诞老人一定会送给她的。”我告诉他也许圣诞老人真的会带给她。他说：“不，圣诞老人不会到我姐姐那里去……我要把玩具娃娃给妈妈，让她带去。”我问他，他的姐姐在哪里。他很是悲伤地看着我说： “她到上帝那里去了，爸爸说妈妈要去和她待在一起。”
我的心几乎要停止跳动了。男孩看了看我，说：“我让爸爸告诉妈妈慢点儿离开，我让他告诉她等到我从玩具店回来再走。”然后，他问我是否想看看他的照片。我告诉他我很想看。他拿出几张在店门口照的照片，说：“我要妈妈把这照片带着，这样她就不会忘记我了。我爱妈妈，我希望她不要离开我，但爸爸说妈妈要和姐姐在一起。”
我发现，小男孩低着头，变得沉默起来。趁他没注意，我把手伸进钱包，全出一把钞票。我对那个男孩说：“我们来数数钱够不够？”他变得兴奋起来，说：“我就知道我的钱是够的。”这时，我把钱偷偷混进他的钱里，然后开始数，当然，这些钱买一个玩具娃娃绰绰有余。他轻轻地说：“谢谢上帝，给了我足够的钱。”然后男孩对我说．“我刚才祈求上帝给我足够的钱买这个娃娃，好让妈妈给姐姐带去，他听到了我的祈祷。我还想要点钱给妈妈买一朵玫瑰花，但我没有向他要，可他还是给了我足够的钱来买娃娃和玫瑰花。妈妈非常非常喜欢白色玫瑰花。”几分钟后，他的阿姨回来了，我便推着推车走开了。
我买完东西，心情与刚进店时截然不同，我不禁想着这个小男孩。我想起前几天报上登载的一条新闻：一位喝醉酒的司机开车撞上一辆小车，车上的一个小女孩当场死亡，她的母亲受了重伤。那家人在考虑是否继续使用氧气维持妇人的生命。当然，这个小男孩跟那则报道没有什么关系。
两天后，我在报上看到，那家人家已经不再使用氧气瓶，那位年轻妇女死了。我忘不了那个小男孩，我不知道这则报道是否与他有关。那天晚些时候，我无法自制，我买了一些白色玫瑰，来到死去的妇人家里。她躺在那里，手里拿着一枝美丽的白色玫瑰，还有那个玩具娃娃以及那个小男孩在商店拍的照片。我流着眼泪离开了那里，他们的生活从此改变。
小男孩对他母亲和姐姐的爱感人至深，可刹那间，这个醉酒的司机将他们的生活碾得粉碎。
名人名言A miss is as good as a mile．失之毫厘，差之千里。
