One night，at 11：30PM，an older African America2） woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing3） rainstorm.Her car had broken down and she desperately4） needed a ride.Soaking5） wet，she decided to flag down the next car.A young white man stopped to help her——generally unheard of in those conflict－filled 1960s.The man took her to safety，helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.She seemed to be in a big hurry.She wrote down his address，thanked him and drove away.Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door.To his surprise，a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.A special note was attached.It read：“thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night.The rain drenched6） not only my clothes but my spirits.Then you came along.Because of you，I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away.God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.

    Sincerely，

    Mrs.Nat King Cole.

    一天午夜11：30分，一位年長的黑人婦女在阿拉巴馬的一條高速公路旁站著，忍受著暴風雨的鞭笞。她的車壞了，她急切地等待搭乘別人的車。她渾身濕透，決心一定攔住下一輛車。這時，一位白人青年停下車，幫了她的忙——在那充滿種族沖突的60年代，這實屬聞所未聞。那位男子開車把她送到安全地方，找人幫她的忙并為她叫來了一輛出租車。她似乎急急忙忙要去什么地方。她記下他的地址，謝了他便讓司機開走了。7天過去了，這天忽然有人敲了那位年輕人的房門。讓他吃驚的是，來人給他送來了一臺大型的落地式彩色電視機。上面附著一張紙條：非常感謝您那天晚上在高速公路上幫了我的忙。當時大雨不僅濕透了我的衣服，也摧垮了我的精神。但你來了。由于你的幫助，我才得以在老伴咽氣前趕到他的病床前見了他一面。你幫了我的忙并無私地為他人服務。愿上帝保佑您。

    娜特·金·科萊夫人謹上。

    pickup n. 中途搭車

    African America 黑人的

    lashing n. 大量， 許多

    desperately adv. 拼命地， 失望地

    soaking adj. 濕透的

    drench v. 濕透