VOA Special English -  听写作业　０８／０９／２００８ American stories

Now the VOA special English American stories.Our story today is called "A Girl for Walter". It was written by Theodore Jacobs. Here is Shep O' Neil with the story

We never knew what "Walter" was. But we called him a idiot. We called it that without knowing if he really was as foolish asstupid as a idiot. Walter worked for a food store.He carried food to the homes that ordered it on the telephone. When we saw Walter coming down the street, pushing his four wheel wagon filled with food. We knew we would have fun. We stop playing our games and followed with him.We always saw him coming. He wore the same cloth every day.A brown hat, green shirt opened on the neck and a pair of gray pants. We recgonize the way he walked too. Long slow steps with stiff legs. We followed him down the street,trying to walk as he did. Ofen we would pull his hat off said how funny he looked.Walter did not see to be troubled by our words, except when we talked about girls. When one of us asked how his love like was or said:"Hey Walter, I hear a beatiful girl is looking for you."He would get very angried. He would push his foot wagons with one hand and try to catch one of us with the other.If he caught one he held him close to his face and shouted in a loud voice:" I'm going to get a girl.I'm going to get a girl." Sometimes he would say it again and again even when we get tired of making fun of him. He would get down the street, shouting to himself:" I'll get a girl!" Walter did not bring food to our house. Mother was afraid of him. She went to a different store and brought food home herself. When grandmom came to live with us,this changed.
Grandmom like all sorts of people. She is interested in people no one else loved. During her life she had made friends with men who drank too much, women who ate too much and people who just very lonely. Grandmom worked for church groups for many years but finally stopped I think she could not worked with them because she did not agree.......is right to try to change a person. Grandmom liked people live what them were. If she knew a man who drank too much, she would not tell him to stop drinking. She would tell him how to drink and still be a gentleman. Once she wrote a book on ten different ways to drink and still act as if you did not have a drink. The important thing to grandmom was that things were done well in the right way and was controlled. When grandmom learned about Walter. She told my mother that she wanted Walter to bring the food to my house. Mother of course was strongly against it. She thought all sorts of strange things would happen. She did not trust Walter. But grandmom simply said:"Oh please, you are fourty-two years old Sarah." And then she telephoned the people in the food store and told them to let Walter bring the food. Walter and grandmother became freinds. The first time he came to our house he told grandmother he is going to get a girl. Grandmother seemed pleased and told him how nice it would be. She told him that the troubles with the youngmen today is that they did not know how to win a girl's heart. "You must be an artist"she said. Walter just stood there and listened. Grandmom the told him how her husband won her heart. She told him about her marriage and great love there was brtween them. As he listened, Walter made funny faces and move his mouth from one side of his face to the other. When she finished her story she asked walter where he met his young ladies. Walter did not say anything." I can understand how difficult for young people to meet these days."Then she said in a low voice:"If you meet a nice young lady Walter,do you know how to act?"
"What? No Idon't."Walter said.
"well you should."Grandmother said.And then she told him how.

Walter and grandmother became close.Every time he came with food, she had a talk ready for him. It was funny to meet. But to Walter and to grandmother it was very serious. Later she began to read books to Walter.A little from a book each time he came. The first book was called "how to dress when you go out with a girl. The next book told a young men how should he act when he meet girl's father and mother. Walter seemed to enjoyed readings.At least he listened.he would stand next to the ...and.....his...if grandmother expected more from Walter he never showed it. She continued reading to him.As time passed,Walter listened harder then before, he never took his eyes off grandmother and she read.When she smiled, he smiled too.When she was serious, Walter became serious. She read about problems of early friendship.how to became better freinds and how to decide if your girl is the right one to marry. Grandmom was almost finished reading one day when Walter stopped her.....something mi.....I have a girl"
"How wonderful"Grandmom answered.
"I really do. A girl like you always talking."
'Isn't that wonderful? Where did you met her?"
"A friend helped me."
"Isn't that exciting?Tell me about her. Is she nice?'
"I like her very much."
"Well she must be.What is her name?"
"I forgot....something.I told her my name was Walter.Will you kind to her and a gentle man. All the time I told her nice things'
"I'm proud of you Walter.Is she pretty?"
Walter did not answer. He told again hoe he met her.It seemed to me that he had said a thing more then once or no one would believe him.
"She must be nice."Grandmom said.I hope you ... your hair and wear a coat when you see her and you must promise me that you will always be a gentleman. After that, grandmom read how to choose a right wedding ring and how to b prepared for a marriage. She seemed to be hurry as if Walter might get married before he finished his education. Nothing mother said helped.Grandmother continued to teach walter.The next book grandmom read to Walter was how to love your wife.Soon after grandmother finished reading it,she died. Just like that. It was difficult to believe. It was only after I saw that they lower her body and covered it that I knew she would not come back.
The morning after she died,Walter came with food. Mother went to the door."Mrs Gorman is dead." She told Walter." She died last night."
Walter did not move at first. He did not to seem to understand or he thought she was lying. He then try to enter but mom shut the door a little.
"Can't you understand she is dead. No one is here, she died last night. Please do not come here again.'
Water just stood there. His face white. Mother close the door on him. She telephoned the food store and told them not to send Walter anymore.
I did not see Walter again for a long time. I had forgotten all about him and the days grandmom had read to him. Then one day I saw him. He looked different. He was wearing a suit of cloth. The cloth was old and trousers has been worn for many times. He wore a white shirt necktie. I waited until he walked up to me and I walked alone with him.
"Hello,Walter. Do you remember me?"
He turned quivkly towards me then smailed as he recognized my face."Oh sure. Hi yeah. How are you?"
"I'm fine walter. How are you doing?"
"Thank you, ok ,how are you doing?"
"Fine."
We walked few steps in silence. Suddenly I had the old feeling that grandmother was still alive and Walter was still coming to the house without thinking I asked:" How was your girl Walter?"
Suddenly he was on me holding and tearing my shirt. He puuled me close to him and shouted:" She is still alive! She is still alive!"
His cry was aloud and real. He pushed me away from him and I fell to the ground. He ran down the street. As I got up I could still hear him crying until his voice was lost among the sounds of playng voice.