【正文】 t think my parents would appreciate my choice. Defending murderers and thieves would appall them.What about being a policeman! I could apprehend criminals and put them in prison. I can imagine the warm feeling of appreciation I would get for saving someone’s life. On second thought, I don’t think I can be an applicant for a position that involves guns.I could be a politician. I’d have the power to appoint people to positions of importance. But then I’d have to make really difficult decisions like how to apportion our limited water supply.What I’d really like to be is an NBA basketball player like Michael Jordan. He’s the apotheosis of athletes. Everyone applauds his amazing skills. But I should be more realistic, shouldn’t I?I think I better start with a simpler job. This summer, I’ll submit an application to McDonalds!13A Tough CaseFor the last 20 years, I’ve worked as an arbitrator of disputes involving land. Arbitration is an arduous process that requires patience. Both parties in a dispute are typically ardent about their opinions. It’s this state of ardor that makes it difficult to approach a satisfactory solution. Fortunately, I have the aptitude for understanding people’s needs and finding an appropriate solution that satisfies the approximate requirements of both sides. The parties who approve me to judge their case know that I’m apt to make a fair and reasonable decision, not an arbitrary one. This knowledge tends to lower the apprehension of both parties. I find that if the parties are less apprehensive, they are more cooperative. But no case is easy. There’s always a sticking point.Presently, I’m working on a dispute between an old farmer and the government. The old farmer owns a piece of arable land on which he has grown fruit trees for 25 years. He wants to keep his land just as it is, not only because of his trees, but also due to the arboreal life it supports. The government believes that the old man’s farming methods are archaic and not a productive use of the land. They want approval to use the farmer’s land to build a huge hightech public aquarium. They want to display unique aquatic creatures to help educate the public. The government plans to make this project the archetype for all future public aquariums. Well, it’s going to be a tough case. In fact, it may be my toughest case yet.14The Way HomeIt seemed like a long ascent to the top. The mountain appeared barren, as though it had suffered through many years of arid climate. I had no idea why I was climbing this mountain. All I could recall was that I had been reading a fascinating article about climbing. But with my arthritis, how could I possibly make it to the top?Despite my confusion, I ascended the mountain. After what seemed like an hour, I stumbled across a small artificial structure. It was hidden behind large rocks. I was shocked to discover that it was an arsenal containing an array of antiquated armor and armament. All of it appeared to be handmade, probably by a 17th century artisan. It was a bit scary, so I left quickly and continued my ascent.Further up, I ran into a man dressed like an aristocrat. He was articulating some kind of ancient arithmetic. His presence aroused my curiosity. I asked him what he was doing on the mountain. He rudely responded, “don’t you know where you are?” What an arrogant man, I thought myself.After what felt like another hour, I spotted a small cave. I found an old monk living inside. Foolishly, I offered him some wine. I should have known that monks practice asceticism. But he wasn’t offended. He simply smiled and said, “I am indeed an ascetic person.”I told the monk that I was tired and missed my home. “Open your eyes” he whispered. “You are already home.”Suddenly, I began to hear the sound of my favorite aria. I could sense the aroma of a familiar aromatic substance. It was followed by a familiar voice.“Wake up” my wife said. “Here’s your coffee! You’re late for work.”15I work on an assembly line in a car factory. Most days, I just assemble car parts. Occasionally, they’ll ask me to assay an unknown drug substance. Once in a while, I’ll be asked to assist with breaking up a fight. Assault is not mon here. But now and then, a frustrated worker will assail his assistant by casting aspersions on some aspect of the other’s work. I’m considered an asset in my pany. But 20 years ago, I was a different kind of asset to an entirely different type of pany.They called it “the pany” but it was really a secret government group trained to assassinate political leaders. I never aspired to be an assassin. In fact, I was an aspiring chemist and a regular soldier in the army. All I really wanted was to do something great or important for my country. But sometimes, having too great an aspiration can lead you astray.I still recall the day of the assembly. It was a small gathering of highly skilled people like me. “The pany” was assessing our abilities in the areas of weaponry and chemistry. I was a top chemist and a natural marksman, probably the best in my group. They ascribed my success to my steady hands and sharp eyes, the same tools I used for chemistry.After the assembly, they gave us our assignments. I was assigned to assimilate into the mainstream society of a Latin American country. It wasn’t long before I was doing things that I will forever be ashamed to admit.It’s been over for about 15 years. But I’ll never feel clean and I’ll never be able to assert that I have been a good man all my life.16The World of TeachersI love to associate with my fellow teachers. We meet at least twice each week at the Faculty association meetings. At these meetings, we often talk about our classes over a wonderful snack of assorted fruits. We’re a closeknit group, although we’re quite different in character.Jane is one of my most astute colleagues. She teaches a course in astronomical phenomenon. H