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1、ONEIcanbepreciseaboutthedayitbegan.ItwasDecember10,1974.ThatwasthedayImetBillySive,andheaskedmetocoachhim.Thenightbefore,aheavysnowfallhadblanketedNewYorkState.Aroundeightthatmorning,Iatebreakfastasusualinthecollegediningroom.Then,whistlingcheerfully,Iwalkedove
2、rtotheathleticbuilding.Thesunhadalreadycomeout,andthewhitelandscapeofthecampuswasblinding.Isteppedpastthestudentsshovelingsnow."Hi,"Isaidtothem.Ismiled.Ihadnoideahowmylifewasabouttochange."Hi,Mr.Brown,"theysaid.Theysmiledback.WhenIgottomyoffice,Ifoundthepreside
3、ntandfounderofPrescottCollege,JosephA.Prescott,waitingformebythelockeddoor.Hewaswearingasheepskinjacket,carryinghisusualbriefcasefatwithpapers,plustwosteamingcups,onecoffee,onetea.WhenJoecomesaroundearlyinthemorninglikethat,Ialwaysknowsomethingisup."Here'ssomet
4、hingtothawyouout,"hesaid,givingmethetea.Wewentintotheoffice.Joehauledoffhissheepskinandsettledhislankybrown-suitedframeintothebatteredoakarmchairbymydesk.Isettledmylankyparkaedformintothecreakyswiveldesk-chair.Onthedesk,everythingwasneat,butverypiled:students'p
5、apers,entryblanksformeets,trackandfieldpublications.Ontherawconcretewall,thebigbulletinboarddisplayedschedules.Someframedphotographs:myselfinMarinedressuniformtwentyyearsago,myselfasaVillanovamiler,otherrunnersI'dtrained.Abigbookshelfwasstuffedwithbooksonsports
6、."What'sup,Joe?"Isaid,sippingmytea.Joelitacigarette,boldlyfacingdownmyfrown."Harlan,"hesaid,"youknowthosethreeboysthatweresuspendedfromOregon."Inodded.Thetrackpresshadbeenfullofit.Boysoftengetsuspendedfromschoolteamsthesedays.Theyouthrevolutionhashittrack,anddi
7、sciplinariancoacheshaveendlesssquabbleswiththeirrunnersaboutlatehours,hairstyles,sex,drugs,etc.Ihadhadafewofthosesquabblesmyself.ButtheUniversityofOregon,theJerusalemofU.S.track,hadjustunloadedthreeofitsbestsenior-yearrunners.Thatwassomethingelseagain."Discipli
8、naryreasons,"headcoachGusLind-quisthadsaid.Buthehadn'tbeenspecific.EverybodyhadbeenmystifiedbythebiblicalheatofLindquist'swrath."Whatdoyouknowabouttheboys?"Joeasked."Notmuch