Bobby was named after his best friend， his grandfather， Bob.

One of the best things Bob and Bobby did was to play with the old wooden blocks that were kept on a shelf， in the small sewing1 room under the front stairs. The blocks had letters on two sides， numbers on two sides and pictures of animals and other things on the last two sides. Bob and Bobby would slowly， very slowly put the blocks one on top of the other， building at all tower. There were thirty blocks. Sometimes the tower would fall down when only half the blocks were piled up2. Sometimes the tower would be almost finished.

“Just one more block，” Bob would say. “And thats the elephant block，” Bobby would say. And they would carefully put the elephant block on the very top. But Bob would sneeze3 and the tower would fall down. Bobby would laugh and laugh.

“Elephants always make you sneeze， Bob，” Bobby would say， “Well just have to try the next time，” his grandfather would say. Then Bob would sit Bobby on his knee and tell him stories. “Bob， tell me the story about how you taught me to walk，” Bobby would say. And his grandfather would tell Bobby how he held Bobbys hands and said， “Now one foot， now the other.”

Not long after Bobbys fifth birthday， his grandfather got very sick. Bobby came home and his grandfather wasnt there. “Bob is in the hospital，” Dad told Bobby. “Hes had what is called a stroke.” “I want to go see him，” Bobby said. “You cant， honey，” Mom told him， “Right now Bobs too sick to see anyone. He cant move his arms and legs， and he cant talk. The doctors not sure if he knows who anyone is. Well just have to wait and hope Bob gets better.”

Bobby didnt know what to do. He didnt want to eat； he had a hard time going to sleep at night. Bob just had to get better. Months and months went by. Bob was still in the hospital. Bobby missed his grandfather.

One day when Bobby came home from school， his father told him that Bob was coming home. “Bob is still very sick. He cant move or talk. When he sees your mother and me， he still doesnt know who we are， and the doctor doesnt think hell get any better. So， dont be scared if he doesnt remember you.” Dad said. But Bobby was scared. His grandfather didnt remember him. He just lay in bed. And when Dad carried him， Bob sat in a chair. But he didnt talk or even move.

One day， Bob tried to say something to Bobby， but the sound that came out was awful. Bobby ran out of the room. “Bob sounds like a monster4！” Bobby cried. “He cant help it， Bobby，” Mom said. So Bobby went back to the room where Bob was sitting. It looked like a tear was coming down Bobs face. “I didnt mean to run away， Bob. I was scared. Im sorry，” Bobby said， “Do you know who I am？” Bobby thought he saw Bob blink5 his eyes. “Mom， Mom，” Bobby called， “Bob knows who I am.” “Oh， Bobby，” Mom said， “Youre just going to upset yourself. Your grandfather doesnt recognize6 any of us.” But Bobby knew better. He ran to the small sewing room， under the front stairs. He took the blocks off the shelf and ran back to where Bob was sitting. Bobs mouth made a small smile. Bobby began to build the tower. Halfway... Almost to the top... Only one block left.

“OK， Bob，” said Bobby， “Now the elephant block.” And Bob made a strange noise that sounded like a sneeze. The blocks fell down and Bob smiled and moved his fingers up and down. Bobby laughed and laughed. Now he knew that Bob would get better. And Bob did.

When the weather got nice and warm， Dad carried Bob out to a chair set up on the grassland. Bobby sat with him.

Then Bob stood up very slowly. “You. Me. Walk，” said Bob. Bobby knew exactly what Bob wanted to do.

Bobby stood in front of Bob and let Bob lean on his shoulders. “OK， Bob， now one foot.” Bob moved one foot. “Now the other foot.” Bob moved the other.

鮑比的名字源自他最好的朋友——鮑比的爺爺——鮑勃。

鮑勃和鮑比最愛做的事情是玩舊積木，這些積木都放在前門樓梯下的小縫紉室內(nèi)的一個架子上。積木有兩側(cè)是字母，另兩側(cè)是數(shù)字，剩下兩側(cè)是動物和其他圖案。鮑勃和鮑比會非常緩慢地把積木一個個堆積起來，搭建成一座高塔。一共有30塊積木。有時只堆了一半，積木塔就坍塌了。有時差不多全搭好了。

“再加一塊積木?！滨U勃會說?！斑@是大象圖案的積木?！滨U比會說。然后，祖孫兩人會小心翼翼地把大象圖案的積木放在最頂端，但鮑勃一打噴嚏，積木塔就坍塌了。這時，鮑比就會哈哈大笑。

“鮑勃，大象圖案的積木總是讓您打噴嚏?！滨U比會說?！拔覀冎缓孟麓卧僭囈辉嚒！睜敔敃f。然后，鮑勃就會讓鮑比坐在自己的腿上，給他講故事?！磅U勃，給我講講您是如何教我走路的。”鮑比會說。爺爺會告訴鮑比，自己是如何牽著鮑比的雙手，然后說：“先挪左腳，再挪右腳。”

鮑比五歲生日過后不久，他的爺爺病得很厲害。某天，鮑比回到家，發(fā)現(xiàn)爺爺不在家?！磅U勃住院了?！卑职指嬖V鮑比，“他患的病叫中風(fēng)?！薄拔蚁肴タ赐！滨U比說?！坝H愛的，你不能去。”媽媽告訴他，“現(xiàn)在鮑勃太虛弱了，不能見任何人。他手腳都不能動，也不能說話。醫(yī)生也不確定他是否認識人。我們只能等待，希望鮑勃的病情能好轉(zhuǎn)?！?/p>

鮑比不知道應(yīng)該做什么。他茶飯不思，夜不能寐。鮑勃必須好起來。幾個月飛逝而過，鮑勃仍然住在醫(yī)院。鮑比想念爺爺了。

一天，鮑比從學(xué)?；氐郊遥职指嬖V他爺爺回家了。“鮑勃仍然非常虛弱。他口不能言，腳不能動。當(dāng)他看到我和你媽媽時，還不認識我們是誰，醫(yī)生認為他再也無法康復(fù)了。所以，如果他不記得你，別害怕?！卑职终f。但是，鮑比很害怕。爺爺不記得他了。爺爺就躺在床上。爸爸移動他，他就坐在椅子里。他不說話，甚至也不動。

一天，鮑勃試圖對鮑比說點什么，但是從爺爺?shù)暮韲道锇l(fā)出的聲音聽起來很恐怖。鮑比逃出了房間?！盃敔?shù)穆曇袈犉饋硐窆治?！”鮑比哭喊道?！八刂撇涣?，鮑比?！眿寢屨f。因此，鮑比回到鮑勃坐著的房間。似乎有一滴眼淚從鮑勃的臉上滑落下來。“我不是故意要跑出去的，鮑勃。我害怕，對不起。”鮑比說，“您知道我是誰嗎？”鮑比認為自己看到爺爺眨眼睛了?！皨寢專瑡寢?，”鮑比喊道，“鮑勃知道我是誰?！薄班?，鮑比，”媽媽說，“你只會讓自己心煩意亂。你爺爺認不出我們中的任何人?！钡酋U比更了解實情。他跑進前門樓梯下的小縫紉室，從架子上取下積木，又跑回爺爺坐的地方。鮑勃的嘴角露出一絲微笑。鮑比開始搭積木。搭建了一半……幾乎快到塔頂……只差最后一塊積木了。

“好了，鮑勃?！滨U比說，“現(xiàn)在放大象圖案的積木了。”鮑勃發(fā)出一種奇怪的聲音，它聽起來像是打噴嚏。積木坍塌了，鮑勃笑起來，并上下移動手指。鮑比哈哈大笑。現(xiàn)在他知道鮑勃會康復(fù)了，而鮑勃的病情的確在好轉(zhuǎn)。

當(dāng)天氣變得晴朗而溫暖時，爸爸把鮑勃抱到室外草坪的椅子上。鮑比和他坐在一起。

然后鮑勃非常緩慢地站起來?！澳悖?，走。”鮑勃說。鮑比完全明白鮑勃想要做什么。

鮑比站在鮑勃的前面，讓鮑勃扶在自己的肩膀上?！昂?，鮑勃?，F(xiàn)在，先挪動左腳?！滨U勃挪動左腳。“再挪動右腳?！滨U勃就挪動了右腳。