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Dear Editor,

　　Brockingham is run by people who are more interested in tourists than its residents．The problem is that the people running the government refuse to accept new ideas．By banning(禁止)all fast-food restaurants and discount stores, they take away all the places kids can afford to shop．

　　These people forget that when they were young, they could go to the South Street Soda Fountain and get an ice-cream soda for 25 cents．Today you can’t find an ice-cream soda anywhere in Brockingham for less than ＄2! Where can kids go for a snack?

　　There is not a single restaurant in Brockingham where a family of four can eat dinner for less than ＄100．Add a 15％ tip and sales tax and you have spent nearly ＄125 to eat a meal you could prepare at home for about ＄12．Have you noticed that Brockingham families never dine in Brockingham?

　　Fast-food restaurants are also a good place for school kids to get an after-school job．Fast-food restaurants are busiest during the early supper hours when students are able to work, whereas the fancy food restaurants cater to late-night diners．Working in one of these establishments requires working shifts that are too late for most students．

　　The City Council claims that local businessmen, rather than national chains, should benefit from the tourist business．I agree that it is important to support local businesses, but I think the fast-food restaurants would encourage more people to shop in Brockingham．

　　Another thing that disturbs me is that we must travel 25 miles to the nearest discount store．If I need a tire for my bike, I have a choice of buying one at Surf and Peddle Sport Shop for ＄15 or driving to Parkersburg Discount Center where I can buy the same kind of tire for ＄9．Again, I think the ban on all food chains and discount houses is counterproductive for our city．

　　Wes Woodrow 9th-Grade Student at Brockingham High School

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　　I returned to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, after college graduation．I had been there before my mother became a minister．

　　Two weeks later, I told my mother I was bored．She said, “Here’s the car keys．Go and buy some fruit．” 　　1　　, I jumped into the car and speeded off．

　　Seeing me or rather my 　　2　　, a boy sprang up(跳起来), 　　3　　 to sell his bananas and peanuts．“Banana 300 naira．Peanut 200 naira!”

　　Looking at his black striped bananas, I 　　4　　 to 200 total for the fruit and nuts．He 　　5　　．I handed him a 500 naira note．He didn’t have 　　6　　, so I told him not to worry．He was 　　7　　 and smiled a row of perfect teeth．

　　When, two weeks later, I 　　8　　 this same boy, I was more aware of my position in Nigerian society．I should 　　9　　 this country as the son of a 　　10　　．But it was hard to find pleasure in a place where it was so 　　11　　 to see a little boy who should have been in school selling fruit．

　　“What’s up?” I asked．He answered in 　　12　　 English, “I…I no get money to buy book．” I took out two 500 naira notes．He looked around 　　13　　 before sticking his hand into the car 　　14　　 the bills．One thousand naira means a lot to a family that 　　15　　 only 50 000 each year．

　　The next morning, security officers told me, “In this place, when you give a little, people think you’re a fountain of opportunity．”

　　　　16　　 it’s right, but this happens everywhere in the world．I wondered if my little friend had actually used money for 　　17　　．

　　After six months’ work in northern Nigeria, I returned and saw him again standing on the road．

　　“Are you in school now?”

　　He nodded．

　　A silence fell as we looked at each other, then I 　　18　　 what he wanted．I held out a 500 naira note．“Take this．”

　　He shook his head fiercely and stepped back 　　19　　 hurt．

　　“It’s a gift．” I said．

　　Shaking his head again, he handed me a basket of bananas and peanuts．“I’ve been waiting to 　　20　　 these to you．”