Luyện nghe bài hát The Gift

Waldo jeffers had reached his limit. it was now which meant that he had been separated from marsha for more than two months. two months, and all he had to show was three dog-eared let
And two very expensive distance phone calls. when school had ended and she'd returned to wisconsin, and he to locust, pennsylvania. she had sworn to maintain a certain fidelity, she would d
Ccasionally, but as amusement. she would remain faithfull.

But lately waldo had begun to worry. he had sleeping at night and when he did, he had horrible dreams. he lay awake at night, tossing and turning underneath his pleated quilt protector,
Welling in his eyes. as he pictured marsha, her sworn vows overcome by liquor and the smooth of some neanderthal, finally submitting to the final caresses of sexual oblivion. it was mo
An the mind could bear.

Visions of marsha's faithlessness haunted him. daytime fantasies of abandon permeated his thoughts. and the thing was they wouldn't really understand how she really was. he, waldo, alone,
Rstood this. he had intuitively grasped every nook and cranny of her psyche. he had made her smile, and she needed him, and he there. (ahhh....)

The idea came to him on the thursday before the mummers' parade was scheduled to appear. he had just finished mowing and the edelsons lawn for a dollar fifty and had checked the mailbox
E if there was at least a word from marsha. there was nothing more than a circular from the amalgamated aluminum of america inquiring into his zoning needs. at least they cared enough to
E. it was a new york company. you could go in the mail.

Then it struck him, he didn't have money to go to wisconsin in the accepted fashion, true, but why not mail himself? it was absurdly simple. he would ship himself parcel post special deli
The day waldo went to the supermarket to purchase the necessary equipment. he bought masking tape, a staple gun and a medium sized box, just right for a person of his built. he judged that
A minimum of jostling he could ride quite comfortably. a few airholes, some water, of course, midnight snacks and it would be as good as going tourist.

By friday afternoon, waldo was set. he was packed and the post office had agreed to him up at three o'clock. he'd marked the package "fragile", and as he sat curled up inside, res
The foam rubber cushioning he'd thoughtfully included, he tried to picture the of awe and happiness on marshas face as she opened the door, saw the package, tipped the deliverer, and then o
It to see her waldo finally there in person. she would kiss him, then, maybe they could see a movie. if he'd only of this before. suddenly rough hands gripped his package and he felt hi
Barne up. he landed a thud in a truck and then he was off.

Marsha bronson had just finished setting her hair. it had been a very rough weekend. she had to remember not to drink like that. bill had been about it though. after it was over he'd said t
E still respected her and, after all, it was certainly the way of nature, and even though, no he didn't love her, he did feel an affection for her. and, after all, were grown adults. oh, wh
Lly could teach waldo - but that seemed like ago.

Sheila klein, her very, very best friend in through the porch screen door and into the kitchen.

"oh god, it's maudlin outside."

"i know what you mean, I feel all icky!" marsha tightened her cotton robe with the silk outer edge. ran her finger over some salt grains on the kitchen table, licked her fingers
a face.

"i'm supposed to take these salt pills," but she wrinkled her nose, "they make me feel like throwing up." marsha started to pat under the chin, an exercise she'd seen
Elevision. "god, don't even talk about that." she got up the table and went to the sink where she picked up a bottle of pink and blue vitamins. "want one? supposed to be bett
An steak." and to touch her knees.

"i don't think I'll ever touch a daiquiri again." she up and sat down, this time nearer the table that supported the telephone. "maybe bill will call." she said to sheil
Lance. nibbled on a cuticle.

"after last night, I thought maybe be through with him."

"i know what you mean, my god, he was like an octopus. hands all over the place." she gestured, raising her arms upwards in defense. "the thing is a while, you get tired of
Ing with him, you know, and after all he didn't really do anything friday and so I kind of owed it to him, you know what I mean." she started to scratch.

Sheila was giggling with her hand over her mouth. "i'll tell you, I feel the same way, and after a while," here she bend forward in a whisper, wanted to," and now she was lau
loudly.

It was at this point that mr. jameison of the clarence darrow post office rang the door bell of the large colored stucco frame house. marsha bronson opened the door, he helped her carry the
Age in. he had his yellow and green slips of paper signed and left with a fifteen cent tip that marsha had gotten out of her mothers beige pocketbook in the den.

"what do you it is? " sheila asked.

stood with her arms folded behind her back. she stared at the brown cardboard carton that sat in the middle of the living room: "i don't know."

Inside the package waldo with excitement as he listened to the muffled voices. sheila ran her fingernail over the masking tape that ran down the center of the carton. "why don't yo
K at the return address and see who it is "

Waldo felt his heart beating. he could the vibrating footsteps. it would be soon.

Marsha walked around the carton and the ink-scratched label. "god, it's from waldo."

"that schmuck!" sheila.

Waldo with expectation.

"you might as open it," said sheila. both of them tried to flip the stable flap.

"ah," said marsha groaning. "he must have nailed it shut." they tagged at the flap again. "my god, you need a power drill to get this thing opened." they aga
Quot;you can't get a grip!" they both stood still, breathing heavily. "why don't you get the scissors," said sheila. ran into the kitchen, but all she could find was a litt
scissors. then she remembered that her father kept a collection of tools in the basement. she ran downstairs and when she came back, she had a large metal cutter in her hand. "this is
Est I could find." she was out of breath. "here, you do it. I'm gonna die." she sank into a large fluffy couch and exhaled noisily. tried to make a slit between the masking
And the end of the cardboard, but the blade was too big and there was not enough room. "g-damn this thing!" she said feeling exaspe- rated. then, smiling "i got an idea.&quo
Uot;what? " marsha. "just watch," said sheila touching her finger to her head.

Inside the package, waldo was transfixed with excitement that he could hardly breathe. his skin felt from the heat and he could feel his heart beating in his throat. it would be soon.

Sheila stood quite upright and walked around to the other side of the package. then she sank down to her knees, the cutter by both hands, took a deep breath and plunged the long blade th
The middle of the package, through the middle of the masking tape, through the through the cushioning and right through the center of waldo jeffers head, which split slightly and cau
Ittle rhythmic arcs of red to gently in the morning sun.