"Hey, future drivers!" Paul and Hank's father approached them after 晚餐 that night, jingling the car keys in his hands. "Who wants to come along and do a little practising?"
Paul, who had been 阅读 a 音乐 magazine on the couch, and Hank, who had been watching a movie with a lot of explosions on the TV nearby, both sat up. "I do!"
Soon, the three of them sat in the car in a mostly empty parking lot. "Who's going first?" their dad asked.
"Let Paul go first." This answer surprised Paul. Normally his brother was 更多 than eager to be first at everything.
"You feeling okay, buddy?" Their father was only half-teasing as he looked back at Hank with some concern. "Okay, then. Up 你 come, Paul, into the driver's seat."
Paul's hands were tense as he took the wheel, his father in the passenger side and Hank still in the back. He felt his fingers moving almost without his being aware of it as his father showed him how to turn the key.
And then Paul was driving. The car glided 前锋, 期待 across the parking lot, sometimes too fast 或者 too slow, his father occasionally pointing out something he had forgotten. Mostly, there was nothing but him and the car, and soon Paul fell into a rhythm, almost sensing what the car needed from him next.
Eventually, his father directed him into a parking spot, and while Paul came a little close to the lines on one side, and the car was just a little crooked, he managed to park the car. "Nice job, Paul," his father said.
"Yeah, 你 were great." Hank sounded a little distracted.
"Well, Hank?" their father prompted. "Ready to become the world's other best driver?"
His words were playful, but Paul couldn't help but notice Hank looked a little pale as they switched places.
As soon as Hank started driving, Paul could feel the difference. Hank spent almost a full two 分钟 adjusting the mirrors and 座位 before he even got going, even though Paul had been driving last and he and Hank were exactly the same height. Once he got going, he paused for a full 秒 或者 three before every turn, before doing almost anything. His hands were tight on the wheel, his face tense with concentration. The car crept along in a fit of stops and starts.
"Uh, Hank," Paul ventured, "maybe 你 should try...."
Hank's eyes never left the windshield. "Don't bother me, Paul. I'm driving."
"You need to go a little faster than that, buddy," their father advised. "If 你 go that slow on the road, it's as bad as driving too fast."
Hanks's shoulders tensed. "I know what I'm doing, Dad."
Hank finished his turn 由 taking three 分钟 to finally ease the car into a parking space, where he pulled it in so cautiously it ended up sticking out too far into the roadway. Hank muttered to himself, tried to fix it, and ended up sticking halfway into the 太空 behind him.
Paul didn't know what to say. He mostly wanted to say something helpful, but he doubted even that would be received well.
"Well," Paul and Hank's father 说 at last, breaking the silence, "that was a good practise round, 你 two. I'm sure your driving instructor will help 你 with whatever else 你 need to learn."
He tactfully didn't direct this any 更多 at Hank than at Paul.
All the way home, Hank 说 nothing. But Paul noticed him sweating as he scrutinized every 移动 their father made while driving the car.
Paul, who had been 阅读 a 音乐 magazine on the couch, and Hank, who had been watching a movie with a lot of explosions on the TV nearby, both sat up. "I do!"
Soon, the three of them sat in the car in a mostly empty parking lot. "Who's going first?" their dad asked.
"Let Paul go first." This answer surprised Paul. Normally his brother was 更多 than eager to be first at everything.
"You feeling okay, buddy?" Their father was only half-teasing as he looked back at Hank with some concern. "Okay, then. Up 你 come, Paul, into the driver's seat."
Paul's hands were tense as he took the wheel, his father in the passenger side and Hank still in the back. He felt his fingers moving almost without his being aware of it as his father showed him how to turn the key.
And then Paul was driving. The car glided 前锋, 期待 across the parking lot, sometimes too fast 或者 too slow, his father occasionally pointing out something he had forgotten. Mostly, there was nothing but him and the car, and soon Paul fell into a rhythm, almost sensing what the car needed from him next.
Eventually, his father directed him into a parking spot, and while Paul came a little close to the lines on one side, and the car was just a little crooked, he managed to park the car. "Nice job, Paul," his father said.
"Yeah, 你 were great." Hank sounded a little distracted.
"Well, Hank?" their father prompted. "Ready to become the world's other best driver?"
His words were playful, but Paul couldn't help but notice Hank looked a little pale as they switched places.
As soon as Hank started driving, Paul could feel the difference. Hank spent almost a full two 分钟 adjusting the mirrors and 座位 before he even got going, even though Paul had been driving last and he and Hank were exactly the same height. Once he got going, he paused for a full 秒 或者 three before every turn, before doing almost anything. His hands were tight on the wheel, his face tense with concentration. The car crept along in a fit of stops and starts.
"Uh, Hank," Paul ventured, "maybe 你 should try...."
Hank's eyes never left the windshield. "Don't bother me, Paul. I'm driving."
"You need to go a little faster than that, buddy," their father advised. "If 你 go that slow on the road, it's as bad as driving too fast."
Hanks's shoulders tensed. "I know what I'm doing, Dad."
Hank finished his turn 由 taking three 分钟 to finally ease the car into a parking space, where he pulled it in so cautiously it ended up sticking out too far into the roadway. Hank muttered to himself, tried to fix it, and ended up sticking halfway into the 太空 behind him.
Paul didn't know what to say. He mostly wanted to say something helpful, but he doubted even that would be received well.
"Well," Paul and Hank's father 说 at last, breaking the silence, "that was a good practise round, 你 two. I'm sure your driving instructor will help 你 with whatever else 你 need to learn."
He tactfully didn't direct this any 更多 at Hank than at Paul.
All the way home, Hank 说 nothing. But Paul noticed him sweating as he scrutinized every 移动 their father made while driving the car.
After Everett received his discharge papers and his crutches, Una asked him, "Are 你 hungry?" He said, "Yes, very." She said, "Okay. We'll get something to eat, then I'll take 你 home." After they ate 晚餐 at a burger joint, they went back to Everett's apartment. Una decided to stay with Everett so that she could help him with whatever he needed. Mrs. Stratton approved of Una's decision. Everett's knee healed in a few days. After that, he and Una decided that they would start planning their wedding. It is a 日 that they are both looking 前锋, 期待 to.
THE END
THE END
Una, Everett, and Kaitlyn had 晚餐 at a nice restaurant. As they ate, Una asked, "So, Kaitlyn, what are 你 majoring in?" Kaitlyn replied, "Well, I'm a biology major. I'm hoping to be a veterinarian." Una said, "You're an animal lover. That's great!" Kaitlyn said, "Yes, I've always been an animal lover. How about you?" Una replied, "Well, I always wanted a dog, but my mother is highly allergic. With that being said, I'm so busy with acting, I'm not sure I'd have time for one now." Kaitlyn said, "That's true. 狗 do require a lot of attention. I'm hoping to get one after I finish with veterinary school and get 更多 settled." Everett smiled as he listened to Una and Kaitlyn's conversation. He was happy to see that they were getting along so well. He thought, This is wonderful. I think it'll work if Una and I decide to get married.
THE END
THE END
"What do 你 mean?" Una once again prepared to listen. Everett replied, "While my immediate family was supportive of my dream to go into film editing, not everyone was kind. Lots of people told me that I couldn't do it: most of my schoolmates, some teachers, even my extended family." She said, "How awful!" He said, "I know, but I didn't let that keep me down. My father even told me that I should go for it, no matter what anyone says. I looked at different film schools, and I got accepted into one that is fairly close to where I grew up. Upon graduating, I started preparing to go to film school. I started that fall, and I got a job at the local 餐车, 晚餐, 小餐馆 to help my parents cover the apartment rent." Una added, "And that's where we met." Everett smiled. "Yes, Una. My life only got brighter from there." She said, "Aw! I say the same to you, Everett." With that, they kissed.