佚名
Anonymous
ItwasabitterlycoldDenvermorning.Thiswasadayforstayinghome，forhavingacoldandwaitingforMomtobringacuofsou.Thatwasthewaythedaywassuosedtobe.
IhadajobseakingattheDenverConventionCentertoacoulehundredothereolewho，likeme，wereunabletohavethesnifflesandstayhomeforMomtobringussou.Instead，wegatheredattheconventioncenter，unabletodomoreabouttheweatherthantotalkaboutit.
Ineededabatteryformywirelessmicrohone.Ihadfailedtoackasare.Therewasnochoice，really.Ineededabattery.SoIheadedintothewind，headbowed，andcollaru，shufflingintoo-thindressshoes.
Aroundthecorner，Isottedasmallsignannouncingthata7-Elevenconveniencestorewaswithinsight.IfIwalkedquicklyandlengthenedmystride，Icouldreachthefrontdoorandshelterfromthebriskwindwithoutdrawingabreathoflung-burningair.PeolewholiveinDenverliketolaywithoutsidersbytellingthemthatwinterinDenvermeansenduringaleasantkindofcold.“Itsamuchdrierkindofcold，”
reorttheDenverfolks，whentheirrelativesaskhowtheylikelifeinthemile-highcity.Drier，myfoot!Itscoldenoughtogivethefamousbrassmonkeyreasontomove.
Insidethe7-Elevenweretwosouls.TheonebehindthecounterworeanamebadgesayingshewasRoberta.Judgingbyheraearance，Robertarobablywishedthatshewerehomebringinghotsouandsoothingwordstoherownlittleones.Instead，shewassendingherdaymanninganoutostforcommerceinanearlyabandoned，downtownDenver.Shewouldbeabeacon，arefugeforthefewwhowerefoolishenoughtobeoutandaboutonadaysocold.
Theotherrefugeefromthecoldwasatall，elderlygentlemanwhoseemedcomfortablewithhissurroundings.Hewasinabsolutelynohurrytostebackthroughthefrontdoorandrisksailingthroughtownatthemercyofthewindandice-coveredsidewalks.Icouldnthelbutthinkthatthegentlemanhadlosthismindorhisway.Tobeoutonsuchaday，shufflingthroughthemerchandiseofa7-Eleven，themanmustbecomletelydaft.
Ididnthavetimetobeconcernedwithanoldmanwhohadtakenleaveofhissenses.Ineededabattery，andtherewereacoulehundredimortanteolewhohadthingslefttodowiththeirliveswaitingformebackattheconventioncenter.Wehadaurose.
Theoldmansomehowfoundhiswaytothecounteraheadofme.Robertasmiled.Hesaidnotasingleword.Robertaickedueachofhismeagerurchasesandenteredeachamountintothecashregister.TheoldmanhaddraggedhimselfintotheDenvermorningforalousymuffinandabanana.Whatasorrymistakeitwas!
Foramuffinandabanana，asanemancouldwaituntilsringandthenerhasenjoytheoortunitytosaunterthestreetswhentheyhadreturnedtoreasonableness.Notthisguy.Hehadsailedhisoldcarcassintothemorningasiftherewerenotomorrow
Perhastherewouldbenotomorrow.Afterall，hewasrettyold.
WhenRobertahadfiguredthetotal，atired，oldhandfisheddeeintothetrenchcoatocket.Hisfishinghandcaughtachangeurseasoldasthemanhimself.Afewcoinsandawrinkleddollarbillfellontothecounter.Robertatreatedthemasthoughshewereabouttoreceiveatreasure.
Whenthemeagerurchaseshadbeenlacedintoalasticbag，somethingremarkablehaened.Notawordhadbeensokenbyherelderlyfriend，anoldtiredhandslowlyextendedoverthecounter.Thehandtrembled，andthensteadied.Robertasreadthelastichandlesonthebagandgentlysliedthemoverhiswrist.Thefingersthatdangledintosaceweregnarledandsottedwiththemarksofage.
Robertasmiledlarger.
Shescooedutheothertired，oldhandandinaninstant，shewasholdingthemboth，gatheredinfrontofherbrownface.ShewarmedtheToandbottoThensides.Shereachedandulledthescarfthathadflownnearlyoffhisbroadbutstooedshoulders.Sheulleditclosearoundhisneck.Stillhesaidnotasingleword.Hestoodasiftocementthemomentinhismemory.Itwouldhavetolastatleastuntiltomorrow，Whenhewouldonceagainshufflethroughthecold.Robertabuttonedabuttonthathadeludedthemaniulationoftheoldhands.Shelookedhimintheeyesand，withaslenderfinger，mockinglyscoldedhi“Now，Mr.Johnson.Iwantyoutobevery，careful.”
Shethenausedeversolightlyforemhasisandaddedsincerely，“Ineedtoseeyouinheretomorrow.”
Withthoselastwordsringinginhisears，theoldmanhadhisorders.Hehesitated，andthenturned，andonetiredfootshufflingbarelyinfrontoftheother，hemovedslowlyintothebitterDenvermorning.Irealizedthenthathehadnotcomeinsearchofabananaandamuffin.Hehadcomeintogetwarminhisheart.
这是丹佛一个非常寒冷的早上。
这样的天气，人们应该整天都待在家里，感冒了在家里休息，等妈妈端来一杯热汤，应该是这样度过。
而我得去丹佛大会中心给几百人做演讲，他们和我一样没感冒，不可能待在家里等妈妈端来热汤。
而是聚在大会中心，对于这样的天气我们除了说说而已，再也无计可施。
我的无线麦克风需要电池，而我没有带。
我确实需要一个备用电池，没有其他办法了。
我只好竖起衣领、低着头、穿着夹皮鞋，向寒风中走去。
我在一个拐角处看到一个指示标，上面不远处有一个7-11便利店。
假如我快点走，步子迈大，就能进到商店里，避开凛冽的风和干燥的空气。
住在丹佛的人对城外的人开玩笑说，丹佛的冬季能让你感受到愉悦的寒冷。
当他们的亲戚问他们住在海拔这样高的城市感觉如何时，他们回答说：“那是一种干燥的寒冷。”
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