[mit-ac6] the ultimate test
- From: "Ingrid Nieto" <ingridn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 14:20:02 +0800 (China Standard Time)
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>The Ultimate Test=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > John Blanchard stood up from the bench straightened his =0D
Army=0D
> > > > > > uniform,and=0D
> > > > > > studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand=0D
Central=0D
> > > > > > Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but =0D
whose=0D
> >face=0D
> > > he=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > didn't,the girl with the rose.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a=0D
Florida=0D
> > > > > > library.=0D
> > > > > > Taking a book off the shelf he found himself inttrigued, =0D
not=0D
with=0D
> > > the=0D
> > > > > > words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the =0D
margin.=0D
The=0D
> >soft=0D
> > > > > > handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful =0D
mind. In=0D
the=0D
> > > > > > front=0D
> > > > > > of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss=0D
Hollis=0D
> > > > > > Maynell. With time and effort he located her address.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter =0D
introducing=0D
> >himself=0D
> > > > > > and=0D
> > > > > > inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped=0D
overseas=0D
> >for=0D
> > > > > > service in World War II.During the next year and one =0D
month the=0D
two=0D
> > > grew=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a =0D
seed=0D
falling=0D
> > > on=0D
> > > > > > a=0D
> > > > > > fertile heart. A romance was budding. Blanchard requested =0D
a=0D
> > > > > > photograph,=0D
> > > > > > but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it =0D
wouldn't=0D
> >matter=0D
> > > > > > what=0D
> > > > > > she looked like.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, =0D
they=0D
> > > scheduled=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > their first meeting - 7:00 PM at the Grand Central =0D
Station in=0D
New=0D
> > > York.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > "You 'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll =0D
be=0D
wearing=0D
> >on=0D
> > > > > > my=0D
> > > > > > lapel." So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a =0D
girl=0D
whose=0D
> > > > > > heart=0D
> > > > > > he loved, but whose face he'd never seen.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell You what happened: A young =0D
woman=0D
was=0D
> > > > > > coming=0D
> > > > > > toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay =0D
back=0D
in=0D
> > > curls=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. =0D
Her lips=0D
> >and=0D
> > > > > > chin=0D
> > > > > > had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was =0D
like=0D
> > > > > > springtime=0D
> > > > > > come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to =0D
notice=0D
> >that=0D
> > > > > > she=0D
> > > > > > was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative =0D
smile=0D
> >curved=0D
> > > > > > her=0D
> > > > > > lips. "Going my way, sailor?" she murmured.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > Almost uncontrollably, I made one step closer to her, and =0D
then=0D
I saw=0D
> > > > > > Hollis Maynell.She was standing almost directly behind the=0D
girl.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a =0D
worn=0D
hat.=0D
> > > She=0D
> > > > > > was=0D
> > > > > > more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-=0D
heeled=0D
shoes.=0D
> > > > > > The=0D
> > > > > > girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as=0D
though=0D
> >I=0D
> > > > > > was=0D
> > > > > > split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and =0D
yet so=0D
deep=0D
> > > was=0D
> > > > > > my=0D
> > > > > > longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned =0D
me and=0D
> > > > > > upheld=0D
> > > > > > my own. And there she stood.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray =0D
eyes had=0D
a=0D
> > > warm=0D
> > > > > > and=0D
> > > > > > kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the=0D
small=0D
> >worn=0D
> > > > > > blue=0D
> > > > > > leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. =0D
This=0D
would=0D
> > > not=0D
> > > > > > be=0D
> > > > > > love, but it would be something precious, something =0D
perhaps=0D
even=0D
> > > better=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > than love, a friendship for which I had been and must =0D
ever be=0D
> > > > > > grateful.=0D
> > > > > > I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book =0D
to the=0D
> > > woman,=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness =0D
of my=0D
> > > > > > disappointment.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss =0D
Maynell. I=0D
> >am=0D
> > > so=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?"=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I =0D
don't know=0D
> >what=0D
> > > > > > this=0D
> > > > > > is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the =0D
green=0D
> > > suit=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my =0D
coat.=0D
And=0D
> >she=0D
> > > > > > said=0D
> > > > > > if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you =0D
that she=0D
> >is=0D
> > > > > > waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > She said it was some kind of test!" It's not difficult to=0D
understand=0D
> > > and=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart =0D
is=0D
seen in=0D
> > > its=0D
> > > > > > response to the unattractive. "Tell me whom you love," =0D
Houssaye=0D
> >wrote,=0D
> > > > > > "And=0D
> > > > > > I will tell you who you are."=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > Send this to 3 people, you will have good luck for an =0D
entire=0D
day.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > Send this to 8 people, you will have good luck for all of =0D
next=0D
> >week.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > Send this 11 or more people, you will know your true love =0D
and=0D
be=0D
> > > > > > happy=0D
> > > > > > for a long, long time.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > Send this to 20 or more people, You and your true love are=0D
going=0D
> >to=0D
> > > be=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > happily married for ever after.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > Send this to nobody, you will have bad luck for at least 5=0D
years.=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > >=0D
> > > > > > "It is always surprising how small a part of life is =0D
taken up=0D
by=0D
> > > > > > meaningful moments. Most often they're over before they =0D
start=0D
> > > > > > eventhough=0D
> > > > > > they cast a light on the future and make the person who=0D
> >originated=0D
> > > > > > them=0D
unforgettable." - Anna and The King
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