The young businessman was deep in debt (债务) and could see no way out. He sat in the park, head in hands, wondering if anything could 1 his factory.
Suddenly an old man appeared before him. “I can see that something is2 you.” he said, “I believe I can help you.” He asked the man his name, wrote out a check (支票), and pushed it into his hand saying：
“Take this money. Meet 3 here one year from today, and you can return it to me at that time.” Then he disappeared as 4 as he had come.
The young man saw the check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the 5 men in the world! “I can 6 all my debts right away!” he realized. But instead, the young man decided to keep it, just knowing it would give him the strength to work out a way to save his business.
With renewed optimism (乐观), he made better deals and was soon out of debt in a few months.
Exactly one year later, he returned to the7with the uncashed (未兑现的) check. At the same time, the old man 8. But just as the young man was about to hand back the check, a nurse9 and took hold of the old man. “I'm so 10I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn't been troubling you. He's always running away from the rest home and telling people he's John D. Rockefeller.” And she led the old man away by the arm.
