学进去

   Ryan’s life was nearly perfect. He had lots of friends in his neighborhood. They walked to school together every day, and after school they always had time to play.

Ryan did have one problem. It was his two-year-old sister, Alice. She was too small to play ball games. She couldn’t climb trees yet. Ryan and his friends didn’t want her around.

Ryan tried asking his mom to keep Alice at home. “Why does my sister have to come along?” he asked. “Troy’s sister doesn’t. Jimmy’s sister doesn’t. Why me?”

Ryan’s mother just laughed. “Troy’s sister is only six months old, and Jimmy doesn’t have a sister. Alice is nice, isn’t she?”

Today, Ryan was going to play baseball with his friends after school. Alice followed him as usual. The game got started. Alice sat on a stone nearby. Minutes later, it was Jimmy’s turn to hit the ball. Unluckily, it fell right into Mr. Mewhirter’s yard.

The boys ran over to Mr. Mewhirter’s fence. The ball was just out of reach. “None of us can fit through the fence,” Jimmy said.

The boys looked glum.

Suddenly, Jimmy got an idea. “Alice, come over!” he called, “Would you like to get that ball for us?”

Alice looked at the boys. Then she slipped through the fence, picked up the ball and came back out of the yard.

“Wow,” said Troy, “So quick! Thanks, Alice.”

“Nice job,” said Jimmy.

“Come on,” said Ryan, suddenly prond of his sister. “I’ll teach you how to play the game.”