soldier。 “Got ya!” He shouted。
I was scared; and I could see it upset him。 “It’s okay; kid;” he said。 He reached into his fatigue jacket and handed me a chocolate bar。 “Here; have some of this。” I unwrapped it and took a small bite。 I thought I’d gone to heaven。
The soldier took me and some other homeless children to an orphanage3 run by the Red Cross。 Four years later I was transferred to an orphanage in America。 Soon after; a family who lived in Donaldson; Pennsylvania; adopted me。 Again; as with that first taste of chocolate; it was as if I’d gone to heaven。 Later; I joined the Army; then attended college under the GI Bill。 Eventually I earned a master’s degree in clinical social work。 God; I want to pay back all the people who were so good to me; I prayed。
So in 1983 I went to work for the Department of Veteran Affairs as a clinical counselor; treating veterans who suffer from post…traumatic4 stress syndrome5。
The troubled soldiers sit in my office and wonder how I can possibly understand them or help ease their pain。 “What do you know about living with terror?” Asked one Marine; who still was tormented by the image of a platoon member being killed in a battle。
That is when I tell them my story; and about the GI god sent to save my life。
“I never did learn his name; but I remember his kindness;” I say。 And then I open a drawer in my desk that is always full and offer them some chocolate。
我愛您,媽媽(1)
詹尼弗?克拉克
“我