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My 14-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat at the same time. It was hanging at a (an) 1 clothing
store. The coat had a black velvet collar, delightful tailoring, a Fifth Avenue label (標簽) and a (an) 2 price
of $ 28.
We looked at 3 , saying nothing, 4 John's eyes shone. Dark, woolen topcoats were popular just then
with 5 , but could 6 several hundred dollars now.
John 7 the coat. He turned from side to side, eyeing himself in the mirror with a serious, studied 8
that soon changed into a smile. The 9 was perfect. John wore the coat to school the next day and came
home wearing a big smile. "How did the kids like your coat?" I asked. "They love it." He said, carefully 10
it over the chair and smoothing it flat.
Over the next few weeks, the 11 came over John. Quiet, reasoned discussion was 12 argument. He
became more thoughtful and eager to 13 . "Good dinner, Mum," he would say every evening. One day when
I suggested that he might start on homework before dinner, John said, "You are right, and I guess I will."
When I 14 this to one of his teachers and remarked that I didn't know 15 caused the changes, she
said with laughter, "It must be his coat!" At the library, we 16 to meet a friend who had not seen our children
for a long time. " 17 this be John?" he asked, looking up to John's new height, assessing the cut of his coat,
and extending his hand, one gentleman to another.
John and I both knew we should never 18 a person's clothes for the real person within them. But there
is something to be said for 19 a standard of excellence for the world to see, for practicing standards of excellence in thought, speech and behavior, and for 20 what is on the inside with what is on the outside. |
