oldcouplewalkinghand-in-hand，takingtheireveningstroll.Theingtired.theysatontheparkbench．

    "Honey”saidtheoldmantohiswife，”Sonnyboywrotetousyesterday，askingustogototheirpceforChristmas．He’sagoodboy．"

    "Youknow，darling，"hiswifereplied，"notonlyourson，htertoo，hasinvitedusforChristmas．Theyarebothgoodchildren，butwhichpceshouldwegoto?”Simpleasthesewordswere，Dimitricouldseelove，happiranquillityandasenseofprideofhavingmadesomethingoutoftheirlives．Theirlife，theirlovewaslikeabarrelofwine，whichhavingbeenbrewedawholelifetime，wasnowperfedfittodrioodrockstill，deeplyimpressedbytheoldcouplebeforehim．

    “Therewassomethingworthwhileinthislifeafterall,”hethought．

    DimitriwasavagabondwithmorethaiwasteandtoofarawayfromMarianna’srestauranttogetsomethi，sohedecidedtofindoneofhisnumerousrestingpdturnin．Helookedaround．Thepcewouldbetheabandonedsewer，hedecided．Itwasthehuntinggroundofprostitutes，theirpimps，drugdealersandtheirers．ButthesewerenothingtoDimitri．Whenhecametothesewer，hegathereduphisstybelongingsfromthecartwhichheleftagainstthewall，thenpullingupthelidoftheman-hole，hesteppedgingerlydownthenarrowdder．Hehadn’tusedthispceforafewmonthsnowandwasn’tasfamiliarwithitasheusedtobe．Inthedark，hisfoottouchedsomethingsoftandwarm．Itwasamoaninghumanbody．

    Dimitrilithiskeroseoveandsawayounggirl，noolderthanfifteen，curledupinaheapontheground，withtearsandnasalmucusalloverherface．Shewasmoaningandshiveringuntrolbly．

    "AreyouOK?"heaskedbendingoverher．

    "Twenty...twenty...twentydolrs..."shebeggedinahoarseandalmostindistinguishablevoice．Dimitrikhatshemustbeanaddientedbyherneedfs．Hesearchedthroughhispockets,foundadolrhereadolrthere,anotherfromhissocks，untilhegotsomethinglikefifteendolrsandgavethemtoher．Thegirl’slusterlesseyeslitupasshegrabbedthemoruggledupthestepsandsaid，"I’llberightback.”ItwasthenthatDimitrisawshewascrippledandwalked．

    Aftershehadleft，Dimitrispreadouthissleepingbagandpreparedtosleep．Thegirlwasbalessthantenminutes．Shewasnormalnowandwasnolongershivering．

    "Doyouhaveanymoremoney?Givethemtomeandyouhaveyourwaywithme..．Ihemoney.”

    "What’syourname?"

    "Shei．"

    "Howoldareyou?"

    "Idon’tknow．Fifteentosixteen，Isuppose．Igrewupinfosterhomes．"Dimitriwaoaskmore，butSheiinterrupted，"D’youhaveanymoremoney？I’llsellyoumybody．Doyouwantme?"

    "OfcourseIdo．I’maman．ButIdon’thaveanymoremoney”．

    Shebowedherheadinsilence．Dimitrilookedather．Shewasiful，butnotpiher，justanaveragegirlindirtybluejeans，T-shirtandajacket．Washedanddressedupshecouldevee．

    "Howlonghaveyoubeenatthisbusiness?"

    "Whydoyouask?Youhavenomoney”．

    "WhatIjustgaveyouwasallIhad．Iwasn’twillingtospenditonfoodformyself，butIgaveitalltoyoutogetdrugs．"

    "I’lldowhateveryouwishtopayyouback．"

    "IneedyoubutIwon’ttakeyou."

    "Whynot?Aren’tyouaman?Isn’tthatwhatallmenwant?"

    "IfIhadpickedyouuporeet，Iwouldn’thavehesitated；butasitis，Igaveyouthemoosaveyony．IfItookyounow,Iwouldbeabrutepreyingonyourvulnerabilities．Shei，therearealotofthiweenamanandawomanbesidessex．Forinst

oldcouplewalkinghand-in-hand，takingtheireveningstroll.Theingtired.theysatontheparkbench．

    "Honey”saidtheoldmantohiswife，”Sonnyboywrotetousyesterday，askingustogototheirpceforChristmas．He’sagoodboy．"

    "Youknow，darling，"hiswifereplied，"notonlyourson，htertoo，hasinvitedusforChristmas．Theyarebothgoodchildren，butwhichpceshouldwegoto?”Simpleasthesewordswere，Dimitricouldseelove，happiranquillityandasenseofprideofhavingmadesomethingoutoftheirlives．Theirlife，theirlovewaslikeabarrelofwine，whichhavingbeenbrewedawholelifetime，wasnowperfedfittodrioodrockstill，deeplyimpressedbytheoldcouplebeforehim．

    “Therewassomethingworthwhileinthislifeafterall,”hethought．

    DimitriwasavagabondwithmorethaiwasteandtoofarawayfromMarianna’srestauranttogetsomethi，sohedecidedtofindoneofhisnumerousrestingpdturnin．Helookedaround．Thepcewouldbetheabandonedsewer，hedecided．Itwasthehuntinggroundofprostitutes，theirpimps，drugdealersandtheirers．ButthesewerenothingtoDimitri．Whenhecametothesewer，hegathereduphisstybelongingsfromthecartwhichheleftagainstthewall，thenpullingupthelidoftheman-hole，hesteppedgingerlydownthenarrowdder．Hehadn’tusedthispceforafewmonthsnowandwasn’tasfamiliarwithitasheusedtobe．Inthedark，hisfoottouchedsomethingsoftandwarm．Itwasamoaninghumanbody．

    Dimitrilithiskeroseoveandsawayounggirl，noolderthanfifteen，curledupinaheapontheground，withtearsandnasalmucusalloverherface．Shewasmoaningandshiveringuntrolbly．

    "AreyouOK?"heaskedbendingoverher．

    "Twenty...twenty...twentydolrs..."shebeggedinahoarseandalmostindistinguishablevoice．Dimitrikhatshemustbeanaddientedbyherneedfs．Hesearchedthroughhispockets,foundadolrhereadolrthere,anotherfromhissocks，untilhegotsomethinglikefifteendolrsandgavethemtoher．Thegirl’slusterlesseyeslitupasshegrabbedthemoruggledupthestepsandsaid，"I’llberightback.”ItwasthenthatDimitrisawshewascrippledandwalked．

    Aftershehadleft，Dimitrispreadouthissleepingbagandpreparedtosleep．Thegirlwasbalessthantenminutes．Shewasnormalnowandwasnolongershivering．

    "Doyouhaveanymoremoney?Givethemtomeandyouhaveyourwaywithme..．Ihemoney.”

    "What’syourname?"

    "Shei．"

    "Howoldareyou?"

    "Idon’tknow．Fifteentosixteen，Isuppose．Igrewupinfosterhomes．"Dimitriwaoaskmore，butSheiinterrupted，"D’youhaveanymoremoney？I’llsellyoumybody．Doyouwantme?"

    "OfcourseIdo．I’maman．ButIdon’thaveanymoremoney”．

    Shebowedherheadinsilence．Dimitrilookedather．Shewasiful，butnotpiher，justanaveragegirlindirtybluejeans，T-shirtandajacket．Washedanddressedupshecouldevee．

    "Howlonghaveyoubeenatthisbusiness?"

    "Whydoyouask?Youhavenomoney”．

    "WhatIjustgaveyouwasallIhad．Iwasn’twillingtospenditonfoodformyself，butIgaveitalltoyoutogetdrugs．"

    "I’lldowhateveryouwishtopayyouback．"

    "IneedyoubutIwon’ttakeyou."

    "Whynot?Aren’tyouaman?Isn’tthatwhatallmenwant?"

    "IfIhadpickedyouuporeet，Iwouldn’thavehesitated；butasitis，Igaveyouthemoosaveyony．IfItookyounow,Iwouldbeabrutepreyingonyourvulnerabilities．Shei，therearealotofthiweenamanandawomanbesidessex．Forinst