parent knew that I had summoned the other.
Tommy, an only child, had always been happy, cooperative and an excellent student. How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a broken-hearted child's reaction to his adored parents' separation and pending divorce?
Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs I had placed near my desk. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were concerned enough to be prompt. A look of surprise and irritation passed between them, and then they pointedly ignored each other.
As I gave a detailed account of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I prayed for the right words to bring these two together, to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his smudged, carelessly done papers.
I found a crumpled tear-stained sheet stuffed in the back of his desk, an English paper. Writing covered both sides -- not the assignment, but a single sentence scribbled over and over.
Silently I smoothed it out and gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then without a word handed it to her husband. He frowned. Then his face softened. He studied the scrawled words for what seemed an eternity.
At last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife's outstretched hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. My own eyes were brimming, but neither seemed to notice. He helped her with her coat and they left together.
In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the anguished outpouring of a small boy's troubled heart.
The words, "Dear Mom ... Dear Daddy ... I love you ... I love you ... I love you."
参考译文：
一件灰色套衫搭在汤米的空桌上，让人想起这个情绪低落的男孩，他刚随同学从三年级教室出去。汤米最近分居的父母马上就要来学校，讨论他每况愈下的学习成绩和捣蛋行为。父母双方都不知道对方要来。
汤米是个独子，一直生活幸福，乐意合作，而且是个出色的学生。我怎能使他的父母相信他近来学习成绩下降是一个心碎的孩子对他敬爱的父母分居和即将离异的反应呢？
汤米的母亲进屋后坐在我放在我桌旁的其中一把椅子上。不一会儿他的父亲也来了。不错！至少他们还够关心他，能准时来校。他们之间交换了一下惊奇和气恼的眼色，然后明显流露出无视对方的神色。
我详细叙述汤米的表现和学习情况，苦苦寻求恰当的词语以图把他们俩撮合在一起，帮助他们认识到他们的所作所为给孩子造成的后果。但是不知怎么的就是找不到适当的话，或许如果他们看看汤米的一纸脏污、漫不经心写的作业……
我在他桌子深处找到一张皱巴巴的满是泪迹的纸。那是张英语作业纸，正反两面潦潦草草地写满了字，但不是布置的作业，而是翻来覆去的一句话。
我默默地把它捋平，递给了汤米的母亲。她看完后没吭一声给了她丈夫。他先是皱着眉，而后脸色变温和了。他仔细盯着潦草的字看了似乎无穷无尽的一段时间。
最后，他小心翼翼地折起纸，把它放进口袋里，手伸向他妻子伸出的手。她擦去眼里的泪水，抬头朝她的丈夫露出笑容。我也热泪盈眶，但是他们俩谁也没注意到。汤米的父亲帮妻子穿上大衣，然后俩人一起走了出去。
上帝以自己的方式给了我使这一家破镜重圆的词语，他把我引向了那张满是一个小男孩苦恼心情的痛苦倾诉的黄色作业纸。
那张纸上写着：“亲爱的妈妈……亲爱的爸爸……我爱你们……我爱你们……我爱你们。”
相关单词：reminder
reminder解释：n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示
reminder例句：
I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。
相关单词：pending
pending解释：prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的
pending例句：
The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。
相关单词：irritation
irritation解释：n.激怒，恼怒，生气
irritation例句：
He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。
相关单词：pointedly
pointedly解释：adv.尖地，明显地
pointedly例句：
She yawned and looked pointedly at her watch. 她打了个哈欠，又刻意地看了看手表。
The demand for an apology was pointedly refused. 让对方道歉的要求遭到了断然拒绝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：detailed
detailed解释：adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的
detailed例句：
He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。
相关单词：crumpled
crumpled解释：adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式
crumpled例句：
She crumpled the letter up into a ball and threw it on the fire. 她把那封信揉成一团扔进了火里。
She flattened out the crumpled letter on the desk. 她在写字台上把皱巴巴的信展平。
相关单词：scribbled
scribbled解释：v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下
scribbled例句：
She scribbled his phone number on a scrap of paper. 她把他的电话号码匆匆写在一张小纸片上。
He scribbled a note to his sister before leaving. 临行前，他给妹妹草草写了一封短信。
相关单词：softened
softened解释：（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰
softened例句：
His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。
相关单词：scrawled
scrawled解释：乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 )
scrawled例句：
I tried to read his directions, scrawled on a piece of paper. 我尽量弄明白他草草写在一片纸上的指示。
Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it -- I got more." 汤姆在他的写字板上写了几个字：“请你收下吧，我多得是哩。”
相关单词：eternity
eternity解释：n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷
eternity例句：
The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。
相关单词：anguished
anguished解释：adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式)
anguished例句：
Desmond eyed her anguished face with sympathy. 看着她痛苦的脸，德斯蒙德觉得理解。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The loss of her husband anguished her deeply. 她丈夫的死亡使她悲痛万分。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
