When I was a boy，my first friend wasn't another little boy or girl but an 80-year-old man.It was the early 1970s.We lived 4 miles from town.My two brothers were much older than I was.And the television only got in one channel（频道） clearly.I spent most of my time then playing alone outside in the yard and woods near our home.
It was only a matter of time then before my exploring led me to "Little Frankie's"house.Everyone called him Little Frankie because he was short and bent（驼背的） from a lifetime of hard work.Little Frankie's house had no electricity or running water.Although he had money from a lifetime of working and saving，he preferred to live there.He cooked his meals and heated his house with an old stove（炉子）.He got his water from a mountain spring that ran next to his house.He still worked everyday gardening，cooking，and cleaning.
For some reason，though，we became fast friends.He would fry（炸） potatoes on his stove and share them with me.Then he would talk and show me old photos from years and years gone by.He worked hard，worried little，gave freely，smiled easily，and loved kindly.
I am still working today at living as beautifully as he did back then.
