只是一个普通人.docVIP

只是一个普通人 　　A t first glance she looked like any other old woman， plodding along in the snow， alone， neglected， head bowed. People passing on the busy city sidewalk averted their eyes， lest sheremind themthatpain and suffering did not stop to celebrate Christmas. 　　A young couple， smiling， talking， laughing， arms loaded with Christmas presents， took no notice of the old woman. A mother with two small children hurried by， on their way to grandmother’s house. They took no notice. If these people had noticed， they would have seen that the old woman wore no shoes. Shewalkedbarefootintheiceandsnow. 　　With both hands the old woman gathered her worn button-less overcoat at the collar to keep out the wind. She stopped and stood bent and bowed at the bus stop. A red and bluescarfcoveringherhead，shewaitedforthedowntownbus. 　　A gentleman carrying an important looking briefcase waited near her， not too closely. After all， she could have somethingcontagious. A teenage girl also waited for the bus. She glancedrepeatedlyattheoldwoman’sfeet，butsaidnothing. 　　The bus arrived and the old woman slowly， painfully boarded. Shesaton thesideways seat just behind the driver. The gentlemanandtheteenagegirlhurriedtotherear. 　　A little boy pointed at the old woman.“Look， Mother， that old lady is barefoot.”The embarrassed mother slapped his hand down.“Don’t point at people， Andrew. It’s not polite to point.”Shelookedoutthewindow. 　　“She must have grown children，”a lady in a fur coat suggested.“Her children should be ashamed of themselves.”She felt morally superior， because she took good care of her mother. 　　A teacher seated near the middle of the bus steadied the bag of gifts on her lap.“Don’t we pay enough taxes to handle situationslikethis？”shesaidtoafriendseatedbesideher. 　　“People have to learn to save their money，”a well-dressed youngcollegemanadded.“Ifthatoldwomanhadsavedwhenshe wasyoung，shewouldn’tbesufferingnow.It’sherownfault.” 　　And all these people beamed with satisfact