When I was 13 my only purpose was to become the star on our football team. That meant 21 Miller King, who was the best 22 at our school.
Football season started in September and all summer long I worked out. I carried my football everywhere for 23 .
Just before September, Miller was struck by a car and lost his right arm. I went to see him after he came back from 24 . He looked very 25 , but he didn’t cry.
That season, I 26 all of Miller’s records while he 27 the home games from the bench. We went 10-1 and I was named most valuable player, 28 I often had crazy dreams in which I was to blame for Miller’s 29 .
One afternoon, I was crossing the field to go home and saw Miller 30 going over a fence—which wasn’t 31 to climb if you had both arms. I’m sure I was the last person in the world he wanted to accept 32 from. But even that challenge he accepted. I 33 him move slowly over the fence. When we were finally 34 on the other side, he said to me, “You know, I didn’t tell you this during the season, but you did 35 .Thank you for filling in for 36 .”
His words freed me from my bad 37 . I thought to myself, how even without an arm he was more of a leader. Damaged but not defeated, he was 38 ahead of me. I was right to have 39 him. From that day on，I grew 40 and a little more real.
23（）
A.practice
B.show
C.comfort
D.pleasure
