During my last year of junior high school, our teacher, Mrs. Debby, gave us a quiz (测试). I was a hard-working student and I did well in all subjects. I finished the question successfully until I read the last one: What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?
Of course I thought that must have been a joke. I saw the cleaning woman every day. She was short and about 50 years old. She had dark hair. But how could I know her name? I had never talked with her before. In fact, I'd never even thought about talking to her. I looked at my paper and started to feel rather guilty (内疚的). Finally, I handed in my paper, leaving the last one unanswered.
Before the quiz ended
one student asked if the last question would be counted in our grades.
"Of course," the teacher said. "In your life, you will meet many people. They are all important. They deserve (值得) your attention and care, even if all you do is to smile and say hello."
I've never forgotten that lesson. Everyone deserves my attention and I should get to know all of the people who work and live around me. That was, perhaps, the most important lesson in my life. Later, I also learned that the cleaning woman's first name was Hannah.
