溫馨夜讀II PART3 9.The Exact Price of a Miracle for Little Brother
[00:10.20]Tess was a precocious eight-year-old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew.
[00:17.50]All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money to pay for a very costly surgery.
[00:25.77]She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with desperation, “Only a miracle can save him now.”
[00:33.29]Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jar.
[00:37.20]She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.
[00:41.02]Three times, even. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar,
[00:45.92]she slipped out the back door and made her way six blocks to the pharmacy.
[00:50.82]She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy.
[00:56.05]Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter.
[01:00.84]“And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.
[01:06.93]“I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,” he continued.
[01:12.27]“Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess answered，”
[01:16.95]He’s really, really sick… and I want to buy a miracle.”
[01:21.09]“I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist.
[01:24.24]“His name is Andrew and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now.”
[01:29.26]“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help you,” the pharmacist said, softening a little.
[01:36.66]“Listen, I have the money to pay for it. Just tell me how much it costs.”
[01:42.00]The pharmacist’s brother stooped down and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”
[01:49.18]“I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up,
[01:54.20]“I just know he’s really sick but my Daddy can’t pay for the operation.”
[01:58.88]“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago.
[02:03.56]“One dollar and eleven cents,” Tess answered.
[02:07.15]“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man, “A dollar and eleven cents — the exact price of a miracle for your little brother.”
[02:15.97]He grasped her hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents.”
[02:22.83]That man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a famous surgeon.
[02:29.13]The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home again.
[02:35.03]Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events.
[02:38.86]“That surgery,” her Mom whispered, “was a real miracle.
[02:43.34]I wonder how much it would have cost?”
[02:46.30]Tess smiled.
[02:47.94]She knew exactly how much a miracle cost…one dollar and eleven cents…plus the faith of a little child.
