Five Years Later
“Are Ты nervous?” Laura asked as she adjusted Harold’s cap.
“Nah,” Harold answered with a smile. Laura crossed her arms and gave him a look. “Okay, fine!” Harold admitted. “Maybe a little.”
Laura smiled.
“You’ll do fine. Now, go! They’re waiting for you,” she сказал(-а) ushering him toward the stage.
“And now,” сказал(-а) a man at the podium, “our August Martin High School valedictorian of 2020, Harold Chance!”
Harold smiled and waved at the audience in the auditorium as they applauded.
“Thank you, everyone,” he сказал(-а) into the microphone. The audience silenced and clicks of cameras replaced it. “Before I begin, I would like to say that what I’m about to say is something I’ve never told anyone before. Not because it doesn’t matter, but because I was waiting for the right time. I think now is that time.
“Six years ago, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident in Manhattan. And no, not caused by me.” He paused for laughs, and continued when it died back down. “For two weeks, I was barely responsive because of the amount of pain medicines I was given. When I finally came back to full consciousness, I was told there was a twenty percent chance of my walking ever again.
“I was devastated. The doctors offered physical therapy, and I only accepted because my mother and sister begged me to. For almost a year, physical therapy seemed to do nothing. I still couldn’t even pick my foot up off the ground. I thought it was hopeless and was coming close to demanding that therapy be cancelled for good. Then finally, I was sent a sign.
“I’m not going to tell Ты what it was, because sometimes I wonder if I really saw what I thought I saw или if the accident screwed me up worse than I’d thought.” He paused again for laughs. “Either way, I accepted it as a sign because I needed hope. And though I still have to use this blasted crutch, at least I didn’t give up, или I wouldn’t be standing here at all.
“The reason I’m saying this is because I wanted to make this point. Hope is a powerful thing, and if Ты can use this hope to fuel your determination, Ты can do anything. That is why I stand here today, and it can become where Ты all stand tomorrow, или Далее week, или even five years from now. Anyone can turn “what I can’t do” into “what can’t I do.” So, students of August Martin, what I want to advise Ты of today, is to never give up hope. If Ты can believe in hope, then Ты will discover that miracles can really happen.”
The audience applauded and Harold called a powerful, “Thank you, AMHS!” and hobbled offstage with his crutch on his right side.
Laura was still applauding as he came backstage.
“That was an amazing speech, Harold!” she сказал(-а) hugging him. When she pulled away, she said, “You know, Ты can tell me what that sign was. I wouldn’t think you’re crazy.”
Harold smiled and pushed some hair behind her ear.
“Don’t worry about it, Laura. You’re better off not knowing,” he сказал(-а) calmly.
Laura studied him curiously.
“Is everything okay, Harold?” she asked.
Harold laughed.
“I assure you, Laura, everything is just fine.”
Fin.
“Are Ты nervous?” Laura asked as she adjusted Harold’s cap.
“Nah,” Harold answered with a smile. Laura crossed her arms and gave him a look. “Okay, fine!” Harold admitted. “Maybe a little.”
Laura smiled.
“You’ll do fine. Now, go! They’re waiting for you,” she сказал(-а) ushering him toward the stage.
“And now,” сказал(-а) a man at the podium, “our August Martin High School valedictorian of 2020, Harold Chance!”
Harold smiled and waved at the audience in the auditorium as they applauded.
“Thank you, everyone,” he сказал(-а) into the microphone. The audience silenced and clicks of cameras replaced it. “Before I begin, I would like to say that what I’m about to say is something I’ve never told anyone before. Not because it doesn’t matter, but because I was waiting for the right time. I think now is that time.
“Six years ago, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident in Manhattan. And no, not caused by me.” He paused for laughs, and continued when it died back down. “For two weeks, I was barely responsive because of the amount of pain medicines I was given. When I finally came back to full consciousness, I was told there was a twenty percent chance of my walking ever again.
“I was devastated. The doctors offered physical therapy, and I only accepted because my mother and sister begged me to. For almost a year, physical therapy seemed to do nothing. I still couldn’t even pick my foot up off the ground. I thought it was hopeless and was coming close to demanding that therapy be cancelled for good. Then finally, I was sent a sign.
“I’m not going to tell Ты what it was, because sometimes I wonder if I really saw what I thought I saw или if the accident screwed me up worse than I’d thought.” He paused again for laughs. “Either way, I accepted it as a sign because I needed hope. And though I still have to use this blasted crutch, at least I didn’t give up, или I wouldn’t be standing here at all.
“The reason I’m saying this is because I wanted to make this point. Hope is a powerful thing, and if Ты can use this hope to fuel your determination, Ты can do anything. That is why I stand here today, and it can become where Ты all stand tomorrow, или Далее week, или even five years from now. Anyone can turn “what I can’t do” into “what can’t I do.” So, students of August Martin, what I want to advise Ты of today, is to never give up hope. If Ты can believe in hope, then Ты will discover that miracles can really happen.”
The audience applauded and Harold called a powerful, “Thank you, AMHS!” and hobbled offstage with his crutch on his right side.
Laura was still applauding as he came backstage.
“That was an amazing speech, Harold!” she сказал(-а) hugging him. When she pulled away, she said, “You know, Ты can tell me what that sign was. I wouldn’t think you’re crazy.”
Harold smiled and pushed some hair behind her ear.
“Don’t worry about it, Laura. You’re better off not knowing,” he сказал(-а) calmly.
Laura studied him curiously.
“Is everything okay, Harold?” she asked.
Harold laughed.
“I assure you, Laura, everything is just fine.”
Fin.
The boys agreed to Kowalski's terms without asking questions. He injected her with the goop and within секунды she was back to her normal self. A год LATER-SPRING.
Lilly had just injected herself with the hormone stablizer so she would not go love- crazed again. Just then, Mort arrives. " Hi pretty пингвин lady!!" " Hi Mort." Lilly says in a friendly tone. "What'cha got there?" she asked. " A letter for you!" He gives her the letter and runs off." Wait... I can't read." She says to herself. So Lilly heads off to Mason's habbitat. " Mason!" Lilly calls. " Do Ты think Ты could read this to me? I have no idea who wrote this!" " Okay. Phill! This nice пингвин would like a translation if Ты may?" Phill comes and does his sighn language thing. " Ooh.." says Mason suprisingly. "Looks like you've got a secret admirer." Lilly blushes and tries to hide the nerveous expression on her face. " What does it say?"
Lilly had just injected herself with the hormone stablizer so she would not go love- crazed again. Just then, Mort arrives. " Hi pretty пингвин lady!!" " Hi Mort." Lilly says in a friendly tone. "What'cha got there?" she asked. " A letter for you!" He gives her the letter and runs off." Wait... I can't read." She says to herself. So Lilly heads off to Mason's habbitat. " Mason!" Lilly calls. " Do Ты think Ты could read this to me? I have no idea who wrote this!" " Okay. Phill! This nice пингвин would like a translation if Ты may?" Phill comes and does his sighn language thing. " Ooh.." says Mason suprisingly. "Looks like you've got a secret admirer." Lilly blushes and tries to hide the nerveous expression on her face. " What does it say?"
It was midnight. A box arrived at the Zoo. It was дана to Zookeeper Alice, who brought the клеть, ящик over to the пингвин exhibit, then opened it. Out came two penguins, a small one, and a taller one. Alice left once the two creatures were in the exhibit. "Where are we?" asked the smaller penguin. "I don't know.us It's too dark. A football stadium, maybe?" The two dozed off.
"Skipper, who's that?" a voice said. "I don't know, but they better leave! Rico!"
"Bleh!"
The girls woke up. "Who are you?" the small one said. "I'm Skipper," one said, "this is Kowalski, Private, and Rico." "Bleyableh!" сказал(-а) one of the taller ones. "Oh. Well, I'm Kat, and this is Ally. Nice to meet you!" сказал(-а) the taller girl. There was a long silence, broken by Rico. "Bleh!" he yelled.
"Skipper, who's that?" a voice said. "I don't know, but they better leave! Rico!"
"Bleh!"
The girls woke up. "Who are you?" the small one said. "I'm Skipper," one said, "this is Kowalski, Private, and Rico." "Bleyableh!" сказал(-а) one of the taller ones. "Oh. Well, I'm Kat, and this is Ally. Nice to meet you!" сказал(-а) the taller girl. There was a long silence, broken by Rico. "Bleh!" he yelled.