It was a late Saturday afternoon in early March, and I was sweating gracelessly, in search of the only gift my son said he wanted from Los Angeles: a map to the homes of the stars.
I was here for meetings in Westwood, near the UCLA Medical Centre. Should I wander a little? Try to find one of the treasured maps?
From the front of the hotel taxi line, a cheerful driver said, "No problem. Map vendors（小 贩） are everywhere!" Before long, we saw a hand-painted sandwich board saying: Star Maps. The taxi stopped. A fellow approached with a thin folded sheet and said: "Ten dollars. "
Ten dollars. American! With righteous assurance, I informed him, "That's too much. " The map man shrugged. We continued, whizzing past the Beverly Hills Hotel into West Hollywood. The driver dropped me at the House of Blues, encouraging me to stroll. I began walking, certain I would find a low-cost star map soon.
I was wrong. There was hardly anybody on the street. There didn't seem to be many real stores, just cars and bars. No maps. No stars. Blocks passed. The sun began to sink. At the edge of West Hollywood, another fellow appeared ahead, selling star maps to a car full of teenage girls.
Ten dollars still. Still too much. Forgot it. My son would understand. Time to go back to Westwood. That night, I called my wife. " Did you get one of those maps to the stars? He's been talking about nothing else. " This news was hard to ignore. But it was late.
Morning was coming. There would be last try. After I checked out, the first taxi in the hotel line was an old Chevy driven by a skinny guy from North Carolina. At nine in the morning, map vendors were nowhere to be found,
"You know, " said the driver, " The guys with the maps just aren't up yet!" He was right.
"Forget it. Let's go to the airport. "
"Well, " said the driver, "I could mail you one if you like. "
Sure. Trust this guy? I might as well toss cash onto the freeway. But exiting the taxi, I recognized my last chance. I handed the driver $13 and my business card.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150 左右：2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Three weeks passed, no reply form LA.
I held the package and the note in my hand, speechless.
