经典英语美文鉴赏 英文原文 IrecentlylostmybestfriendArnoldinanautomobileaccidentwhilemovingmyfamilytoournewhomeinArizona.Arnoldwasan8-month-oldpotbellywhotaughtmesomuchaboutlove,devotionandpanionship.Iamdevastatedbyhisloss,butthankGoddailyforblessingmewiththejoyofhavingArnoldforhisshortlife. Anyonecontemplatingapotbellyasapetshouldknowthatifyouareatruepetloveranddevoteyourselftothem,apotbellywillmakethemostwonderfulfriend.Youwillbeassuredofendlesshoursoffascinationandentertainmentasyoubothgrowtogetherinunderstandingthehuman/potbellyrelationship.Wordscannotdescribethisrelationshipanditcanonlybefullyunderstoodbyexperiencingit. Arnolddidntknowhewasapig-hethoughthewasjustanothermemberofourfamily-modelinghisbehaviorthroughobservingme,mywife,mytwodaughtersandourbeagles.Hewasconvincedhewaslovedbyall;andhewas,evenwhenhewasornerytryingtojustgetourattention.Helearnedhisname,howtositandhowtousethelitterboxallinthefirstweekwehadhim(at7weeksold!). HelovedtosleeponyourlapasyousatonthecouchwatchingTV.Hedidntcareifhegrewtoweigh45lbs,hestillexpectedyoutohoisthimontoyourlapatprecisely8:00pmeveryeveningwherehewouldfallfastasleepwithinsecondsaftersnugglinghiswetnosebetweenyourneckandshoulder.Ifyoudidntrespondtohisinitialhonkslettingyouknowitwashisnaptime,hewouldbumpyourlegswithhisnoseuntilyoupickedhimup.Withhisweightasitwas,youcouldntholdhimalleveningashepreferred,soyouhadtoslidehimoffontothecouchnexttoyouwherehewouldsleepforhourswithallfourlegsandhisnosestickingstraightupintheair.Hewouldsnoreaslongashecouldfeelyounexttohimbutwouldimmediatelywakeupifyoutriedtoleavethecouch.Wehadhoursoffunbalancingobjectslikeasaltshakeronhisflatnosewhilehesleptsoundly. Arnoldhelpedmeinallmychoresaroundourfiveacresinthecountry.Justbeingthereatmyfeet,interestedinwhatIwasdoingmadeeventhemostmundaasksenjoyable.Whenhewasoutroamingandforagingandyouwouldcallouthisname,hewoulderunningattopspeed,honkingthewholewayuntilhegotclosetoyouwherehewoulddodgeyou,zigzaggingaroundwithafewvictoryrolesturningincirclesbeforesettlingdownandcalmlywalkinguptoyouwithhistailwaggingasiftosay(winking)hah,got-cha. Heevenhelpedmebuildakitaircraftandacustomizedtrailertohaulitaroundin.Iwasplanningontakinghimflyingwithmesomeday.Helovedtoplaywithmysocketsandrolledthemaroundontheshopfloor.JustasIwouldstruggleandgetfrustratedwithsomedifficulttask,Arnoldwouldshowupunderneaththetrailer,withhiswetnoseinmyearandhonking-seemingtosay,takeabreakandlaughwithmeforawhile,thatshouldmakeitallbetter.Anditdid,everytime.Godsmarvelouscreationsministertousinthemostspecialwaysifwecanjuststopforafewmomentsandobservethem.GodusedArnoldtoteachusthisveryimportantlessoninlifewhichwewillneveret. MywifeandtwodaughtersbegantosaythatArnoldandIweresoclosethathehadbeethesonthatIneverhadinourfamily.ItseemedthatwecouldnolongerhaveanykindofconversationinourfamilyorwithourfriendswithoutArnoldbeingamaintopic.TheneighborhoodkidswouldmakeappointmentstoevisitArnoldandcouldntwaittoeoverandplaywithhim. Arnoldwentmosteverywherewithus-PetsMart,Wal-Mart,birthdayparties,ChristmasvacationtoGrandmas.Helovedridinginthecar/shoppingbasketandwasabighiteverywherehewent.Arnoldhadbeesuchanimportantpartofourlifethatwhenwefoundoutthatourfamilywouldhavetomovetoanotherstate,weinsistedthatthecontractonournewhousebecontingentonthehomeownersassociationapprovalofArnoldinwritingbeforewewouldagreetopurchasinginourprestigiousneighborhood. Onthedayweleftouroldhometown,wehadagoingawaylunchwithourfriendsfromchurch.EveryoherejusthadtogoouttothetruckwhereArnoldandallourotherpetwereandsaygoodbye.Arnoldtrustedmetotakecareofhimandgethimtohisnewhome.Tragically,alongtheway,thewindblastfromasemiknockedourtrailersoutofcontrolandpushedourtruckoffa40bridge.WelostabigpartofourfamilythatdaywhenourpetsArnold,SweetiandLeannawerekilled.IfeelterriblefornotbeingabletoprotectArnoldthewayhetrustedmeto.However,IwillbeforevergratefulforthefondmemoriesofhimwhichIwillcherishforever. ThankyouforreadingthisandallowingmetosharesomeofArnoldslifewithyou.Ifyoudecidethatapotbellyistherightchoiceforyouboth,IpraythatyouwillberewardedinthesamewaymyfamilywaswithArnold.