最好的朋友(Best Friends)

高一时，有一天，我见同学凯尔从学校步行回家。他好像把所有的书都搬了回去。我暗想，“星期五他搬这么多书干嘛啊，他肯定是个书虫。”

我有一个很好的周末计划（聚会、明天下午和朋友踢足球），于是，我耸耸肩，就往前走。忽然，我看见了一群小孩子向他冲过去，他怀里的书被撞下来撒了一地，人也被绊倒了，眼镜飞到10英尺远的草地上。他抬起头来，我看见他眼里饱含泪水，满是悲伤。他正在地上趴着找他的眼镜，于是，我跑过去，把眼镜递给他，说道：“这些家伙真该千刀万剐，他们不会好过的。”他看着我说：“谢谢你！”露出真诚而感激的微笑。

我帮他拣起书，问他住哪里。原来他就住我家附近，于是我就问怎么以前从没见过。他说他过去一直在私立学校读书。我帮他拿着书，我们边走边聊。我发现他很有个性。我问他星期六想不想跟我和朋友们踢足球，他答应了。越了解凯尔，我就月喜欢他，我的朋友们也有同感。

星期一的早晨，我看见凯尔又抱着一大堆书，我拦住他问：“好家伙，你是不是每天搬书锻炼肌肉啊！”他只是笑笑，递给我一半书。之后的四年里，我和凯尔成了最好的朋友。

到高年级时，我们开始考虑上大学的事了。凯尔决定去乔治敦大学，我想去杜克大学。我知道，我们将是永远的朋友，距离不是问题。

凯尔是我们班致毕业辞的代表，我一直取笑他是只书虫，他必须准备毕业演讲稿了。我很庆幸不是我站在那致告别辞。毕业那天，我看着凯尔，他说的很棒，戴着眼镜显得很英俊。他的约会比我的多，所有的女孩子都喜欢他。

噢，有时我还很嫉妒他，就像今天。我看出他有些紧张，便拍了拍他的后背，说道：“嘿，朋友，你会成功的！”他又用那种真诚而感激的表情看着我，笑道，“谢谢。”然后，清了清嗓子，开始演讲。

“毕业的时刻，要感谢所有帮助你走出困境的人，你的父母，老师，兄弟，教练……但更重要的是，你的朋友。在这里我要说的是，友情是你给别人最好的礼物。我要给你们讲一个故事。”当他讲到我们初次见面的那一天时，我看着他，简直不敢相信这是真的。

那个周末，他打算自杀。他说他把橱柜清理得很干净——这样，他妈妈就不用做了，然后他把所有的东西搬回家。他注视着我，露出浅浅的微笑。“幸运的是，我得救了，我的朋友把我从那难以启齿的苦痛中救了出来。”

我听到人群的唏嘘声，这个受欢迎的英俊男生说出了他最脆弱的时刻。我看见他的父母看着我，露出同样充满感激的微笑。直到这时，我才知道了它的深意。

Best Friends

One day,when I was a freshman in high school,I saw a kid from my class who was walking home from school.His name was Kyle.It looked like he was carrying all of his books.I thought to myself,”Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?He must really be a nerd.”

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon),so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.As I was walking ,I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.They ran at him,knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.His glasses went flying,and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.So,I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses,and I saw a tear in his eyes.As I handed him his glasses,I said,”Those guys are jerks.They really should not get lives.”He looked at me and said,”Hey thanks!”There was a big smile on his face.It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his book,and asked him where he lived.As it turned out,he lived near me,so I asked him why I had never seen him before.He said he had gone to a private school before now.We talked all the way home,and I carried his books.He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with my friends and me.He said yes.The more I got to know Kyle,the more I liked him.And my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came,and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.I stopped him and said,”Damn boy,you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!”He just laughed and handed me half the books.Over the next four years,Kyle and I became best friends.

When we were seniors,we began to think about college.Kyle decided on Georgetown,and I was going to Duke.I knew that we would always be friends,that the miles would never be a problem.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.I teased him all the time about being a nerd.He had to prepare a speech for graduation.I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.Graduation day,I saw Kyle.He looked great.He filled out and actually looked good in glasses,He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him!

Boys,sometimes I was jealous.Today was one of those days,I could see that he was nervous about his speech.So,I smacked him on the back and said,”Hey,big guy,you’ll be great!”He looked at me with one of those looks(the really grateful one) and smiled.”Thanks,”he said.As he started his speech,he cleared his throat,and began.

“Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.Your parents,your teachers,your siblings,maybe a coach...but mostly your friends.I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give him or her.I am going to tell you a story.”I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.

He had planned to kill himself over the weekend .He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.”Thankfully,I was saved.My friend save me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome,popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.

Never underestimate the power of your action.With one small gesture you can change a person’s life.For better or for worse.