Mark was walking home from school one day
when he noticed the boy ahead of him had tripped
and dropped all of the books he was carrying along
with two sweaters,a baseball bat,a glove and a small
tape recorder. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick
up the scattered articles.

Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry
the burden. As they walked Mark discovered the boys
name was Bill,that he loved video games,baseball,and
history, that he was having alot of trouble with his
other subjects and that he had just broken up with his
girlfriend.

They arrived at Bill's home first and Mark was invited
in for a coke and to watch some tv. The afternoon
passed pleasantly with a few laughs and some shared
small talk, then Mark went home.

They continued to see each other around school, had
lunch together once or twice. They ended up at the
same High school where they had brief contacts over
the years. Finally the long awaited senior year
came,and three weeks before graduation, Bill asked
Mark if they could talk.

Bill reminded him of the day years ago when they had
first met. "Do you ever wonder why I was carrying so
many things from school that day?" asked Bill.

"You see, I cleaned out my locker because I didn't want
to leave a mess for anyone else. I had stored away some
of my mother's pills and I was going home to commit
suicide. But after we spent some time together I
realized that if I had,I would have missed that time
and so many others that might follow. So you see,
Mark,when you picked up my books for me that day,you
did alot more. You saved my life!"