2. Forcuttingthegrass$5.00
3. Forcleaningupmyroomthisweek$1.00
4. Forgoingtothestoreforyou$0.50
5. Baby—sittingmykidbrotherwhileyouwentshopping$0.25
6. Takingoutthegarbage$1.00
7. Forgettingagoodreportcard$5.00
8. Forcleaningupandrakingtheyard$2.00
9. Totalowed：$14.75
10. Well，I』lltellyou，hismotherlookedathimstandingthereexpectantly，andboy，couldIseethememoriesflashingthroughhermind.Soshepickedupthepen，turnedoverthepaperhe』dwrittenon，andthisiswhatshewrote：
11. FortheninemonthsIcarriedyouwhileyouweregrowinginsideme，NoCharge.
12. ForallthenightsthatI』vesatupwithyou，doctoredandprayedforyou，NoCharge.
13. Forallthetryingtimes，andallthetearsthatyou』vecausedthroughtheyears，there』sNoCharge.
14. Forallthenightsthatwerefilledwithdread，andfortheworriesIknewwereahead，NoCharge.
15. Forthetoys，food，clothes，andevenwipingyournose，there』sNoCharge，Son.
16. Whenyouadditallup，thecostofmyloveisNoCharge.
17. Well，friends，whenoursonfinishedreadingwhathismotherhadwritten，thereweregreatbigoldtearsinhiseyes，andhelookedstraightupathismotherandsaid：「Mom，Isuredoloveyou.」Andthenhetookthepenandingreatbiglettershewrote：「PAIDINFULL」.
1. 一天晚上我們的小兒子來到廚房，他媽媽正在那兒做晚飯。他遞給媽媽一張已經寫好字的紙。媽媽在圍裙上擦乾手後，看到上面寫著：
2. 割草５美元
3. 本周打掃自己的房間１美元
4. 替你跑商店50美分
5. 當你購物時看護小弟弟２５美分
6. 倒垃圾１美元
7. 拿到優異的成績單５美元
8. 清理庭園並耙草、葉２美元
9. 總計：14.75美元
10. 好的，我告訴你，他媽媽看到他期待地站在邊上，孩子，我怎麼能想到。她靈光一閃，拿起筆，把那張紙翻過來，她寫道：
11. 在我肚子裡懷你９個月，讓你慢慢長大，一分都不收。
12. 為你熬的每個夜晚，照料呵護你，一分都不收。
13. 多年來由你引起的難熬時光以及為你流的淚，一分都不收。
14. 為充滿恐懼和擔心的日日夜夜，一分都不收。
15. 玩具、食物、衣服，還有給你擦鼻子，一分都沒收，孩子。
16. 當你把所有這些全部加起來時，我全部的真愛，一分都不收。
17. 朋友，當我們的兒子讀完他媽媽寫的這些，他的眼睛中閃爍著晶瑩的淚花，抬頭看著他媽媽說：「媽媽，我真的愛你。」然後，他拿起筆寫了幾個大大的字：「全部償付」。
HanoverSquare追憶似水年華
1. Canitreallybesixty-twoyearsagothatIfirstsawyou?
2. Itistrulyalifetime,Iknow.ButasIgazeintoyoureyesnow,itseemslikeonlyyesterdaythatIfirstsawyou,inthatsmallcafeinHanoverSquare.
3. FromthemomentIsawyousmile,asyouopenedthedoorforthatyoungmotherandhernewbornbaby.Iknew.IknewthatIwantedtosharetherestofmylifewithyou.
4. IstillthinkofhowfoolishImusthavelooked,asIgazedatyou,thatfirsttime.Irememberwatchingyouintently,asyoutookoffyourhatandlooselyshookyourshortdarkhairwithyourfingers.Ifeltmyselfbecomingimmersedinyoureverydetail,asyouplacedyourhatonthetableandcuppedyourhandsaroundthehotcupoftea,gentlyblowingthesteamawaywithyourpoutedlips.
5. Fromthatmoment,everythingseemedtomakeperfectsensetome.Thepeopleinthecafeandthebusystreetoutsidealldisappearedintoahazyblur.AllIcouldseewasyou.
6. AllthroughmylifeIhaverelivedthatveryfirstday.Many,manytimesIhavesatandthoughtaboutthatthefirstday,andhowforafewfleetingmomentsIamthere,feelingagainwhatisliketoknowtruelovefortheveryfirsttime.ItpleasesmethatIcanstillhavethosefeelingsnowafterallthoseyears,andIknowIwillalwayshavethemtocomfortme.
7. NotevenasIshookandtrembleduncontrollablyinthetrenches,didIforgetyourface.Iwouldsithuddledintothewetmud,terrified,asthehailsofbulletsandmortarscrasheddownaroundme.Iwouldclutchmyrifletightlytomyheart,andthinkagainofthatveryfirstdaywemet.Iwouldcryoutinfear,asthenoiseofwarbeatdownaroundme.But,asIthoughtofyouandsawyousmilingbackatme,everythingaroundmewouldbebecomesilent,andIwouldbewithyouagainforafewpreciousmoments,farfromthedeathanddestruction.ItwouldnotbeuntilIopenedmyeyesonceagain,thatIwouldseeandhearthecarnageofthewararoundme.
8. Icannottellyouhowstrongmyloveforyouwasbackthen,whenIreturnedtoyouonleaveintheSeptember,feelingbattered,bruisedandfragile.WeheldeachothersotightIthoughtwewouldburst.IaskedyoutomarrymetheverysamedayandIwhoopedwithjoywhenyoulookeddeepintomyeyesandsaid"yes"tobeingmybride.
9. I』mlookingatourweddingphotonow,theoneonourdressingtable,nexttoyourjewelerbox.Ithinkofhowyoungandinnocentwewerebackthen.IrememberbeingonthechurchstepsgrinninglikeaCheshirecat,whenyousaidhowdashingandhandsomeIlookedinmyuniform.Thephotoisoldandfadednow,butwhenIlookatit,Ionlyseethebrightvibrantcolorsofouryouth.Icanstillremembereverydetailoftheprettyweddingdressyourmothermadeforyou,withitsfinedelicatelaceandprettypearls.IfIconcentratehardenough,Icansmellthesweetnessofyourweddingbouquetasyouhelditsoproudlyforeveryonetosee.
10. Irememberbeingsooverenjoyed,whenayearlater,yougentlyheldmyhandtoyourwaistandwhisperedinmyearthatweweregoingtobeafamily.
11. Iknowbothourchildrenloveyoudearly;theyareoutsidethedoornow,waiting.
12. DoyourememberhowIpanickedlikeamadmanwhenJonathonwasborn?Icanstillpictureyoulaughingandsmilingatmenow,asIclumsilyheldhimfortheveryfirsttimeinmyarms.Iwatchedasyourlaughterfadedintotears,asIstaredathimandcriedmyowntearsofjoy.