The more she encouraged him， thefaster he responded. By the end ofthe year， Teddy had become one ofthe smartest children in the classand， despite her lie that she wouldlove all the children same， Teddybecame one of her “teachers pets”.
A year later， she found anote under her door， from Teddy，telling her that she was still thebest teacher he ever had in hiswhole life.
Six years went by before shegot another note from Teddy. Hethen wrote that he had finishedhigh school， second in his class，and she was still the best teacherhe ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that， shegot another letter， saying thatwhile things had been tough attimes， hed stayed in school， hadstuck with it， and would soongraduate from college with thehighest of honors. He assured Mrs.
Thompson that she was still thebest and favorite teacher he everhad in his whole life.
Then four more years passedand yet another letter came. Thistime he explained that after he gothis bachelors degree， he decidedto go a little further. The letterexplained that she was still thebest and favorite teacher he ever had. But nowhis name was a little longer. The letter wassigned， Theodore F. Stoller， M. D.
The story doesnt end there. You see， therewas yet another letter that spring. Teddy saidhed met this girl and was going to be married.
He explained that his father had died a coupleof years ago and he was wondering if Mrs.
Thompson might agree to sit in the place atthe wedding that was usually reserved for themother of the groom.
Of course， Mrs. Thompson， did. And guesswhat？ She wore that bracelet， the one withseveral rhinestones missing. And she madesure she was wearing the perfume that Teddyremembered his mother wearing on their lastChristmas together.
They hugged each other， and Teddywhispered in Mrs. Thompsons ear， “Thank you，Mrs. Thompson， for believing in me. Thankyou so much for making me feel important andshowing me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson， with tears in her eyes，whispered back. She said， “Teddy， you have itall wrong. You were the one who taught me thatI could make a difference. I didnt know how toteach until I met you.”
一杯牛奶
一天，为了凑学费，一个贫困的小男孩挨家挨户地推销商品。他太饥饿了，但摸遍全身，才发现只有一角钱。于是，他决定跟下一户人家讨口饭吃。
可是，当一个年轻漂亮的女子打开门的时候，他却不知所措了。他没有说要饭，只说给他一口水喝。这个女子看到他饥饿的模样，就给他倒了一大杯的牛奶。男孩慢慢喝完牛奶后，问：“我该付你多少钱呢？”
“一分都不用，”年轻女子回答，“妈妈教育我，施以爱心，不图回报。”男孩说，“那请接受我衷心的感谢吧！”当霍华德·凯利离开了这户人家时，他觉得自己浑身是劲儿，而且也相信上帝和整个人类。原本他都打算放弃了。
多年后，那位女子患了罕见的重病，当地医生对此无能为力。最后，她被转到大城市，由医学专家会诊治疗。着名的霍华德·凯利医生也被请来参加对这病的会诊治疗。
当他听到病人所在的那个城镇名字时，一个奇怪的想法闪过他的脑海。他立刻起身直奔她的病房。
凯利医生穿着手术服来到病房，立刻就认出了她。他回到会诊室，决心尽最大的努力来挽救她的生命。从那天起，他对她的情况就特别关注。
经过漫长而艰苦的努力，手术成功了。凯利医生请求把医药费通知单送到他那里，他看了看，然后在旁边签了字。当医药费通知单送到她的病房时，她不敢打开，因为她确定，医疗费用将会花费她余生来偿还。最后她还是翻开了医药费通知单，通知单旁边的那行字引起了她的注意，她不禁读了出来：
“医药费已付：一杯牛奶。”（签名）霍华德·凯利医生。
A Cup of Milk
One day， a poor boywho was trying to pay hisway through school byselling goods door to doorfound that he only had onedime left. He was hungry sohe decided to beg for a mealat the next house.
However， he lost hisnerve when a lovely youngwoman opened the door.
Instead of a meal he askedfor a drink of water. Shethought he looked hungry soshe brought him a large glassof milk. He drank it slowly，and then asked， “How muchdo I owe you？”
“You dont owe meanything，” she replied.
“Mother has taught menever to accept pay for akindness.” He said， “then Ithank you from the bottomof my heart.” As HowardKelly left that house， he notonly felt stronger physically，but it also increased his faithin God and the human race.
He was about to give up andquit before this point.
Years later the youngwoman became criticallyill. The local doctors werebaffled. They finally senther to the big city， wherespecialists can be called into study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly， nowfamous was called in forthe consultation. Whenhe heard the name of thetown she came from， astrange light filled his eyes.
Immediately， he rose andwent down through thehospital hall into her room.
Dressed in his doctorsgown he went in to seeher. He recognized her atonce. He went back to theconsultation room anddetermined to do his best tosave her life. From that dayon， he gave special attentionto her case.
After a long struggle，the battle was won. Dr. Kellyrequested the business officeto pass the final bill to himfor approval. He looked at itand then wrote somethingon the side. The bill wassent to her room. She wasafraid to open it because shewas positive that it wouldtake the rest of her life topay it off. Finally she looked，and the note on the side ofthe bill caught her attention.
She read these words：
“Paid in full with aglass of milk.” (Signed) Dr.
Howard Kelly.
友谊永不褪色
我在牙买加平原长大，那是美国马萨诸塞州波士顿市郊的一个城镇。在20世纪40年代，那是个生机勃勃而又老式别致的小社区。那是我的家乡，我热爱的地方。那时，我以为自己永远不会离开。我最好的朋友罗斯和我常常一起梦想着有一天各自拥有自己的家庭。我们什么都计划好了，还想着以后要挨着住，做邻居。
我们的这一梦想历经小学、中学，甚至之后的岁月都从未改变。1953年当我嫁给我一生的挚爱——迪克时，罗斯是我的伴娘。
那时，她甚至开玩笑说，她就差结婚了，要不就完美了——这样就可以离我们的梦想更近了。就在那时，迪克决心成为一名海军陆战队军官，而我则全力支持他的雄心壮志。我意识到，他可能会在牙买加平原以外很远的地方驻扎，不过我告诉他我可以重新安家并适应下来。和他一起体验新天地的生活，这想法对我来说有些浪漫。
于是，1955年迪克被安排驻扎在阿拉斯加时，我们搬家了。罗斯对我的离开感到很难过，但仍祝我好运。接下来的几年里，我们通过定期打电话来保持联络，但不久我们便失去了彼此的音讯。20世纪50年代，要想和远方的人保持联络并不太容易，特别是当你每隔几年就要搬家时。那时还没有电子邮箱或者搬家不换号的服务，姓名地址查询服务也不甚完善。
这些年来，我有好几次想起了她。20世纪60年代中期，有一次在我去大波士顿区时，我尝试查询她的下落，但却搜寻未果。在我离开后的10年里，牙买加平原发生了巨变。大量外来人口的迁入影响了我的旧社区。我家早已搬离了那个地区，从前认识的邻居中有很多也搬走了。罗斯更是杳无音讯，无迹可寻。
52年过去了，我们从未联络过。后来，我有了一个五口之家，现在孩子们也全都拥有了自己的家庭，而迪克也在几年前去世了。基本上，我的一生就这么过去了。
如今，在我即将迈入80大寿之际，一个悠闲的周三下午我接到了一个陌生来电。“喂？”我打招呼道。
“嗨，纳塔利，我是罗斯。”电话那头的声音回应道。“已经过了这么久了。我不知道你还记不记得我，过去还是小孩子的时候，在牙买加平原，我们是最好的朋友。”
她说道。
我们到现在也没再见过面，但我们花了很长的时间在电话里互诉了这52年里我们各自的生活。有意思的是，即使是分别了52年，我们的个性和兴趣仍然极其相似。我们都钟情于某些爱好，而那是在我们失去联络几年后各自养成的。这感觉简直就像我们才刚刚分别就又重聚了一样，考虑到现实情况，这确实让人感到有些奇怪。
她的丈夫也在几年前去世了，但她寄了几张那些年里拍的家庭合影给我。令人兴奋不已的是，仅仅是看着这些照片，听她描述着她的家庭就让我想起了我自己的家庭，一个相当健康的大家庭。在内心深处我感到我们有着极其相似的人生。
我不认为我们的两个生命之间有很多的相似仅仅是个巧合。我想这表示我们都视彼此为最好的朋友，不只是嘴上说的，而是真真切切地记在心里的最好的朋友，即使到了现在，我们还是可以成为最好的朋友。真正的朋友有两个共同点：相容的个性和坚强的品格。相容的个性是最初连接两人的纽带，而这一纽带的维系则有赖于双方所拥有的坚强品格。如果一段友谊里有着这两者的存在，那么这段友谊就是真的，这样一来，它就能经受住时间和长久分离的考验而毫不“褪色”。
