，whateverhappenstoyou，fromnowontosixtyorninety，youwillalwayshaveus.”

　　Mandyburstintotears，“Ihavenothingexceptyouandthekids.Ifeelcold.Thisworldlooksatmewithviciouseyes.”

　　“Youcanalwayscountonus，”Lockpromised，“Igiveyoumyword.There‘snopartingofusuntilonedies.Staypositiveandcherisheveryminute.”

　　MandyleanedagainstLock‘sshoulder，totallyforgettingheshouldnothavestoodupandsupportedherweight.“Iwon‘tfallforit.TheylookasifworriedformebutIguesstheyreallyenjoyedthemselvesseeingmealmostcrashed.”

　　shelookedatLockandwassuddenlystartled，“Iwasalmosttakenin.......Ishouldn‘thavetoldthemhowIbrokedown......Iwouldneverletthemreceivethewrongmessageasifmylifewereajoke.”

　　“Don‘toverrespond.”Locksaid，“Theyareyourfriends，andtheyshowedconcernsaboutourlife.Themorepatheticwelook，thefunnieritwouldbewhentheyknowwhatwe‘rereallylike.”

　　“Yes，someofthemdidtrytoruinmyself-esteemandnearlyconvincedmetopitymyself.Howcanonebesomean”

　　Locksuggested，“I‘vecomeupwithanidea.Whydon‘tweholdaparty”Hehesitated，“Doesanyofthemhaveafamily”

　　“No，noneofthemdo.Peopledon‘tgetmarriedthesedays，Iguesstheyareafraidtogivecommitments.”Mandyformedasmileasthoughshefeltsorryforherfriends.

　　“So，thatsettleseverything.”Locksmiledback，“Weinviteabunchofkids.”

　　“DoweknowotherkidsbesidesthoseinOscar‘skindergarten”Mandyasked.

　　“Oh，ofcoursewedo，”announcedLock，“Thereareplentyofkids，Asian，Latino，andblackinthechildren‘shospital.Thiswillbeafund-raisingpartyfordisabledchildren，andmeaswell.”Locksatbackintothewheelchairasquicklyashiskneesallowedtocarryhim，whichamusedMandylikehell.

　　“Sincetheyaresokind，suretheydon‘tminddonatingsomedollarsforthegoodcourse”Lockquestioned.

　　“That‘sreallyniceofyou.Allofmyfriendswouldbeverythankfuliftheyareofferedachancetoshowthattheyreallycareforthehandicapped.”Mandybitherlips，tryinghardnottolaugh.

　　“IsuddenlyrememberIhaveoneortwoacquaintancesonthepress.”Locksneered，“Theywoulddietoseemeonthemoveagain.”