Fromthefirstdayheenteredmyjunior-highclassroom,WillardP.Franklinexistedinhisownworld,shuttingouthisclassmatesandme,histeacher.Myattemptsatestablishingafriendlyrelationshipwithhimweremetwithcompleteindifference.Evena「GoodMorningWillar」receivedonlyaninaudiblegrunt.Icouldseethathisclassmatesfarednobetter.Willardwasstrictlyalonerwhoseemedtohavenodesireorneedtobreakhisbarrierofsilence.
ShortlyaftertheThanksgivingholiday,wereceivedwordoftheannualChristmascollectionofmoneyforthelessfortunatepeopleinourschooldistrict.
「Christmasisaseasonofgiving,」Itoldmystudents.「Thereareafewstudentsintheschoolwhomightnothaveahappyholidayseason.BycontributingtoourChristmascollection,youwillhelpbuyfood,clothingandtoysfortheseneedypeople.Westartthecollectiontomorrow.」
WhenIcalledforthecontributionsthenextday,Idiscoveredthatalmosteveryonehadforgotten.ExceptforWillardP.Franklin.Theboydugdeepintohispantspocketsashestrolleduptomydesk.Carefully,hedroppedtwoquartersintothesmallcontainer.
「Idon』tneednomilkforlunch,」hemumbled.Foramoment,justamoment,hesmiled.Thenheturnedandwalkedbacktohisdesk.
Thatnight,afterschool,Itookourmeagercontributionstotheschoolprincipal.Icouldn』thelpsharingtheincidentthathadtakenplace.
「Imaybewrong,butIbelieveWillardmightbegettingmightbegettingreadytobecomeapartoftheworldaroundhim,」Itoldtheprincipal.
「Yes,Ibelieveitsoundshopeful,」henodded.AndIhaveahunchwemightdowelltohavehimshareabitofhisworldwithus.IjustreceivedalistofthepoorfamiliesinourschoolwhomostneedhelpthroughtheChristmascollection.Here,takealookatit.」
AsIgazeddowntoread,IdiscoveredWillardP.Franklinandhisfamilywerethetopnamesonthelist.
情況好像不可救藥了。
自從威拉德·P·富蘭克林進入我教的初中班的那天起，他就把自己封閉了起來，不與其他同學交往，也不與我——他的老師－－打交道，完全生活在自己的世界裡。我試圖和他建立起一種友好的關係，但卻遭遇冷漠。甚至你跟他說聲「早上好，威拉德」，他的回答也只是一聲幾乎聽不見的咕噥聲。我明白他的同學受到的待遇也好不到哪兒去，而他完全是一個獨行俠，好像不希望也不需要打破這種沉默似的。
感恩節後不久，我們得到一年一度聖誕節募捐的消息，這些錢將用來捐給我們學校所在社區裡的窮人。
「聖誕節是個給予的季節，」我告訴學生們，「我們學校有些學生可能不能過一個快樂的節日。你們可以買些食物、衣服或玩具，通過聖誕節的募捐活動，去幫助那些貧困的人。我們明天開始募捐。」
第二天，當我要求募捐的時候，我發現除了威德拉之外，幾乎所有的人都把這件事給忘了。他一邊向我的桌子走來一邊伸手從褲子口袋裡掏東西，然後小心翼翼地把兩枚25美分的硬幣丟進小箱子裡。
「我午餐不需要喝牛奶，」他小聲說。在那一瞬間，就那一瞬間，他笑了。然後，他轉身回到了自己的座位上。
那天晚上，放學後，我把募捐的這一點錢交給了校長，並且忍不住把當天發生的事告訴了他。
「也許我想錯了，但我相信可能威德拉正在準備成為這個班集體的一份子，」我告訴校長。
「是的，我認為這聽起來有希望，」他點頭說道，「我有一種預感，我們或許可以做得好一點，讓他與我們分享他的世界。我剛收到一份名單，上面是我們學校裡最需要通過聖誕節募捐獲得幫助的貧困人員名單。這個，你看一下。」
我低頭仔細一看，發現威德拉·P·富蘭克林和他的家庭排在名單的最前面。
KeeponSinging一直歌唱
Likeanygoodmother,whenKarenfoundoutthatanotherbabywasontheway,shedidwhatshecouldtohelpher3-year-oldson,Michael,prepareforanewsibling.Theyfindoutthatthenewbabyisgoingtobeagirl,anddayafterday,nightafternight,MichaelsingstohissisterinMommy』stummy.
ThepregnancyprogressesnormallyforKaren,anactivememberofthePantherCreekUnitedMethodistChurchinMorristown,Tennessee.Thenthelaborpainscome.Everyfiveminutes…everyminute.ButComplicationsariseduringdelivery.Hoursoflabor.WouldaC-sectionberequired?Finally,Michael』slittlesisterisborn.Butsheisinseriouscondition.Withsirenhowlinginthenight,theambulancerushestheinfanttotheneonatalintensivecareunitatSt.Mary』sHospitalinKnoxville,Tennessee.
Thedaysinchby.Thelittlegirlgetsworse.Thepediatricspecialisttellstheparents,」Thereisverylittlehope.Bepreparedfortheworst.」Karenandherhusbandcontactalocalcemeteryaboutaburialplot.Theyhavefixedupaspecialroomintheirhomeforthenewbaby—nowtheyplanafuneral.
Michael,keepsbegginghisparentstolethimseehissister,「Iwanttosingtoher,」hesays.Weektwoinintensivecare.Itlooksasifafuneralwillcomebeforetheweekisover.Michaelkeepsnaggingaboutsingingtohissister,butkidsareneverallowedinIntensiveCare.ButKarenmakesuphermind.ShewilltakeMichaelwhethertheylikeitornot.
Ifhedoesn』tseehissisternow,hemayneverseeheralive.ShedresseshiminanoversizedscrubsuitandmarcheshimintoICU.Helookslikeawalkinglaundrybasket,buttheheadnurserecognizeshimasachildandbellows,」Getthatkidoutofherenow!Nochildrenareallowed.」ThemotherrisesupstronginKaren,andtheusuallymildmanneredladyglaressteel-eyedintotheheadnurse』sface,herlipsafirmline.「Heisnotleavinguntilhesingstohissister!」KarentowsMichaeltohissister』sbedside.Hegazesatthetinyinfantlosingthebattletolive.Andhebeginstosing.Inthepureheartedvoiceofa3-year-old,Michaelsings:
「Youaremysunshine,myonlysunshine,youmakemehappywhenskiesaregray…」
Instantlythebabygirlresponds.Thepulseratebecomescalmandsteady.
Keeponsinging,Michael.「Youneverknow,dear,howmuchIloveyou.Pleasedon』ttakemysunshineaway…」Theragged,strainedbreathingbecomesassmoothasakitten』spurr.
Keeponsinging,Michael.「Theothernight,dear,asIlaysleeping,IdreamedIheldyouinmyarms…」Michael』slittlesisterrelaxesasrest,healingrest,seemstosweepoverher.
Keeponsinging,Michael.Tearsconquerthefaceofthebossyheadnurse.Karenglows.「Youaremysunshine,myonlysunshine.Pleasedon』t,takemysunshineaway.」
Funeralplansarescrapped.