杰里与洛林·比德尔曼

JerryandLorinBiederman

Iaminmylatefortiesandhavetwoteenagedaughters.Mylifehasbeendifficultbut，bythegraceofGod，Iamasurvivor.

MygirlsandIsentmuchoftheirchildhoodinsheltersandlivingonthestreet.Thoughweweretogethersixyears，Inevermarriedthegirlsfather.HecouldntholdajobandalthoughIamahardworker，withoutacollegeeducation.Themoneyjustwasntenoughtosuortus.Hesentmostofmymoneyonhardliquor，andhedidntcomehomefordays.

Oneday，afterhethreatenedtokillme（hewasaviolentdrunk），Iackedumybabiesandourbelongingsandheadedforabetterartoftown.IfiguredIwouldgivemygirlsagoodeducation，evenifwehadtoliveonthestreet.

Imanagedtofindajobasawaitressatalocalcoffeesho，andIenrolledmygirlsinagoodublicschool.Myjobdidntayenoughforrent，sowemovedfromsheltertoshelter.Iwasnervousabouttheaddress，soIgotaostofficeboxandusedtheaddressfortheschoolaerwork.

Noonesusectedwewerehomeless.Mygirlswenttoschooleveryday.Iftheshelterwasnearby，wewalked.Ifwehadto，wetookabus.

Mygirlswerealwaysveryresentable.Iletthemgotofriendshousesasmuchasossible，andIoftentriedtobuythemsecialgifts.But，mostly，thelittlemoneywehadwasutawayfortheirfuture.

WehadmadeaactthatwewouldnottellanyonewewerehomelessbecauseIwassurethisfineschoolwouldntallowmydaughtersremainiftheyknewaboutoursituation.

Oneday，severalyearslater，oneofthegirlscamebacktotheshelterandtoldmeherfriendsmotherhadinvitedallthreeofusoverforsuerthenextevening.Imanagedtotalktothedirectoroftheshelterintoallowingmetousethekitchentobakecookies.

Weknockedonthedoorofabeautifultwo-storyhome.Itwassotlessandcomfortable.Mary，themother，wassoareciativeofthecookies.Wehadawonderfulevening，andIknewIhadfoundafriend.

Afewdayslater，Leticia，myyoungest，camehome.AndsaidthatMaryhadaskedforourhonenumber.Shewantedtocallmetogettogether.Leticiatoldherwewerehavingtroublewiththehones，andshewouldhavemecallher.Ihatedthatmygirlshadtolie.

IcalledMaryandagainwegottogetheratherhouse.SheandIbecamegoodfriends.IconstantlytoldherthatIwantedtohaveherovertoourlace，butthenIwouldlieandsaywewerehavingtroublewiththelandlordofouraartmentbuildingorthatsomethingwasntworking，likethestove，theairconditioning，etc.

MarycameintothecoffeeshoonedayandaskedifIcouldsendmybreakwithher.Wetookawalk，andthenshestoedatavacanthouseafewblocksdowntheroad.IthadaForRentsignoutfrontandwasthemostadorablelittlehome.

Marysaid，“Doyoulikethislace?”

“Oh，verymuch!”Iexclaimed.“Butitswayoutofmyleague.”

“Whydontwecallandfindout?”Marysaid.Thisusetme.ItoldherthatthemostIcouldaffordwas$350amonth.

Noonewouldrentahouseforthatlittle—eseciallythishouse.

Thenextday，MarycameintothecoffeeshowithabiggrinonherfaceandaForRentsigninherhands.Shewassoexcitedthatshecouldntholdbackthenews.“Isokewiththeownerofthathouseandguesswhat?Theyrerentingthehousefor$350amonth!Itcouldntbemoreerfectforyouandthegirls.”

Itoldher，“Thatsimossible.Housesrentforthreetimesthatmuchinthisneighborhood.”

Sheexlainedthattheownersdidntreallyneedthemoney.Theyjustneededsomeonewhowouldareciatelivingthereandwouldtakesecialcareofit.

Afewweekslater，wemovedin.WemanagedtogetsomefurniturefromtheSalvationArmy，Shari，myoldest，tookwoodshoinschoolandmadeusafinecoffeetable.Wefixedthelaceu，andIevenlantedsomeflowers，whichmademefeellikeIwaslantingmyroots.Ihoedtostayherealongtime，raisemygifts，andalwayshavealaceforthemtocomehometo.

Butsecrets，Ivefound，dontusuallystaysecrets.Onemonth，Ihadmailedmyrentcheck，butitwasduringtheholidays，andIdidntwantittobelate，soIdecidedtodroitoffatthearoriateostofficebox.

IwasstandinginlineattheostofficewhenIheardafamiliarvoiceaskforaackagefromtheboxwhereIsentmyrent.IeekedaroundthelineandwasshockedtoseeMary!

ShewasthumbingthroughhermailwhenItouchedherarTearswerestartingtoforminmyeyes，andIcouldbarelyseak.“Mary，isityourhousewerelivingin?Didyoudothisforus?”

Sheutherarmaroundmyshoulderandwalkedmeoutside.Bythetimewereachedthesidewalk，Iwassobbing.Iamaverystrongwomanandtearsdontcomeeasily.Ihavebeenthroughalotinmylife，butnoonehadeverbeensokind.

MarytoldmethatLeticiahadsliedandtoldherdaughterwewerehomeless.Shesaidsheneverwouldhaveguessed.Thegirlswerealwayssocleanandwelldressed.Shesaiditwasherandherhusbandsfirsthome，anditwasverysecialtothem，thattheyhadownedthehouseforalongtime，anditwasaidfor.Sheandherhusbandhadtalkedaboutitandwantedtorentthehousetous.ShehadntwantedmetoknowbecauseshewasafraidIwouldthinkitwascharity.

Shariisgraduatingfromhighschoolthisyear，andbecausewewereabletosaveenoughmoney，sheisgoingtocollege.

MaryismyEarthAngel，andIwanthertoknowthatIareciateherkindnessandgenerosity，andthatIloveher.

IbringMaryfreshflowerseveryweekfromourgarden.

我年近五旬，膝下有两个尚未成年的女儿。虽然生活很艰难，但承蒙上帝的恩赐，我仍然活着。

在临时收容所和街头，两个女儿度过了她们的大部分童年时光。尽管我和她们的父亲共同生活了6年，但一直没有结婚。他什么活都干不长。由于没有受过高等教育，即使我很努力地工作，赚的钱依然无法贴补家用。我赚来的大部分钱，都被孩子的父亲拿去买烈酒了，他还常常不回家。

在他威胁要杀死我（他是一个狂暴的酒鬼）的那天，我带着女儿和少得可怜的家当来到城里更繁华的地区。我盘算着，即使我们沦落到在街头流浪，也要让女儿接受良好的教育。

我在本地一家咖啡馆，找到了一份服务员的差事，两个女儿则到一所不错的公立中小学上学。我的薪酬无法缴付房租，一家人只好辗转于收容所之间。不过，最令我头痛的还是我们家的住址。于是，我在邮局租了一个信箱，以便接收学校寄来的作业。

如此这般，再也没有人会怀疑我们无家可归。女儿每天都去上学，收容所在学校附近，就走路过去；离学校较远，就搭公车。

两个女儿很讨人喜欢。我尽量让她俩到朋友家去玩，也经常尽我所能给她们买些别致的小礼品。但我们微薄收入中的大部分都储存起来了，以备不时之需。

我很清楚，这样的好学校，一旦知晓我们的家境，就不会允许女儿继续在那儿上学。于是，我跟女儿约好，无论如何都不能告诉别人我们无家可归。

几年过去了。一天，一个女儿回到收容所后告诉我，她朋友的母亲邀请我们全家第二天晚上到她家做客。在征得收容所所长的许可后，我用所里的厨房准备了一些小点心。

我们来到一幢漂亮的两层楼前，敲了敲房门。屋里一尘不染，无比舒适、温馨。对我们带来的甜点，女儿朋友的母亲玛丽非常感激。那天晚上，我们相处得很愉快，我知道自己找到了一个朋友。

几天后，小女儿莱蒂西亚回来告诉我，玛丽想要家里的电话号码。她想打电话过来，邀我再相聚。莱蒂西亚告诉玛丽，家里的电话坏了，她会让我打电话给玛丽。女儿不得不撒谎，这一点我很是不安。

我给玛丽打了电话，然后再次相聚她家。此后，我俩成了很好的朋友。我不止一次对她说，希望邀请她光临寒舍，接下来又不得不对她撒谎，诸如，我们跟房东闹矛盾啦，或是家里的炉灶、空调坏了。

一天，玛丽来到我工作的咖啡店，问我是否有空陪她聊聊天。于是，我们一起外出散步。走过几个街区，在一所闲置的房子前，她停住了脚步。这间小房子十分惹人喜爱，房前贴着招租的广告。

“喜欢这所房子吗？”玛丽问。

“噢，非常喜欢，”我大声说道，“不过，我们这种人可住不起。”