PassageTwoEvenbeforemyfatherleftus,mymotherhadtogobacktoworktosupportourfamily.OnceIcameoutofthekitchen,complaining,“Mom,Ican’tpeelpotatoes.Ihaveonlyonehand.”Momneverlookedupfromsewing.“Youget.yourselfintothatkitchenandpeelthosepotatoes,”shetoldme.“Anddon’teverusethatasanexcuseforanythingagain!”Inthesecondgrade,ourteacherlinedupmyclassontheplaygroundandhadeachofusraceacrossthemonkeybars,swingingfromonehighsteelrodtothenext.Whenitwasmyturn,Ishookmyhead.Somekidsbehindmelaughed,andIwenthomecrying.ThatnightItoldMomaboutit.Shehuggedme,andIsawher“we’llseeaboutthat”look.Thenextafternoon,shetookmebacktoschool.Atthedesertedplayground,Momlookedcarefullyatthebars.“Now,pullupwithyourrightarm,”sheadvised.ShestoodbyasIstruggledtoliftmyselfwithmyrighthanduntilIcouldhookthebarwithmyotherelbow.Dayafterdaywepracticed,andshepraisedmeforeveryrungIreached.I’llneverforgetthenexttime,crossingtherungs,Ilookeddownatthekidswhowerestandingwiththeirmouthsopen.Onenight,afteradanceatmynewjuniorhighschool,Ilayinbedsobbing.IcouldhearMomcomeintomyroom,“Mom,”Isaid,weeping,“noneoftheboyswoulddancewithme.”Foralongtime,Ididn’thearanything.Thenshesaid,“Oh,honey,somedayyou’llbebeatingthoseboysoffwithabat.”Hervoicewasfaintandcracking.Ipeekedoutfrommycoverstoseetearsrunningdownhercheeks.ThenIknewhowmuchshesufferedonmybehalf.Shehadneverletmeseehertears.Whenthechildlookeddownatthekids,theywerestandingwiththeirmouthsopenbecause______. A: theyfeltsorryforwhattheyhaddonebefore B: theywereafraidtheauthormightfalloffandgethurt C: theywantedtoseewhattheauthorwoulddoonthebars D: theywereastonishedtofindtheauthor’sprogress