Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents' home in Missouri to spend Christmas with them. I stopped halfway at a 1 to refill my tank (油箱). While I was standing in line at the cash register (收款台), I said hello to an old couple who were also2 gas (汽油).
I started my car, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke 3 from the back of my car. I stopped and 4 what I should do. A car slowed down behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they 5 take me to my parents' home. We chatted on the way into the city. Before leaving, I asked the husband 6 their address and he gave me his business card.
Before Christmas, I wrote to the couple asking if I could thank them 7 . Soon, I received a Christmas present with a note from them. They 8 refused my request. They just said helping me had made their holiday 9 .
Years later, after finishing a one day meeting in New York, I returned to my car, only to find that I'd left the lights10 all day, and the battery (电池) was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford Dealership--a shop11 cars was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
"Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?" I asked and told them about my12 . They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no pay, 13 I wrote them a note to say thanks after returning home. Soon, I got a letter from one of them.
14 had ever taken the time to write to him to say "thank you", he said, and they were two15 words but meant so much.
