| Show ' READING MATTERScontinued - o Ibt krottican ibbsoco Co 1990 - - --- 1 -- 2 I)1 I' ' - - ‘ 1 tc-11 i t i - ( 'I ( t 1 i 1 '‘ b - 0 t 0- - - "-- 0?-- - 'I 1 n -' la a - ' I - - ''''' ' ‘ ( 1 t - rk 1 1t ) 0 k ---- ) -— tifl - '''--' ti tsw00001 t if" - IA - - ''''‘ igticti 2--- — ' ing that position but I knew that every day a manager had to be reading all different kinds of stuff My heart ached I!wanted that position so bad But I told them I didn't feel I was ready yet "The company's officials knew something was wrong Of course I could tell that you know from how they looked itA acted when they happened to be anywhere around me And that's about when I started coming home real uptight and upset and I'd holler at Angela "One evening she hollered back 'You can do something about it if you really want to!'t "'Do what?' Finally they ended up going to a teachers' supply house and got a cassette and a book Rivera had brought along that first lesson to show me The book's first page contained a sketch of a bird and four words:: "This is a bird" ' "Do you want to believe I couldn't have read that to save my life?" Rivera flipped through subsequent pages of the book "This is a dish—This is a girl —Ms is a hand" He said "All of this was about five years ago And after this book then finally I did go to a reading tutor That was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life —to go and admit to that woman that I had a problem I couldn't read and I really had to do something about it" Rivera paused "At least that got me seriously started" He looked across the table at Angela who was holding their daughter of 8 months Maria "I'm going to tell you the truth Over four years with tutors!I had come along a good way But when Angela told me she was pregnant when it meant that I was going to be the father of a baby all of a sudden I knew what I had to do with the rest of my life No more faking no more bluffing my way And from that day to this I have been reading my head off There is no way I'm not going to read at least an hour every day to that little One you're looking at! Just like reading and just like her mother this daddy's little girl has made a big difference in my life I mean they've all opened up for me a whole new world" Joseph Rivera fell silent His eyes had become moist with his emotion I thought that it was maybe the ideal time to give him what! had brought I withdrew from my bag a copy of Roots which I opened on the table and signed—writing rather slowly—with him and his wife watching: "To Joseph Angela and Maria Rivera with ' Brotherly Love" Then I handed it to Rivera Such were the messages we both felt to be conveyed such were the significances—about the great meanings and values of literacy and of reading—that he and I both quite open)31 ly had moist eyes face-to-fa- ce CI 4 C "r0 ' 1' A 0 0 ' : 3111i SI 0 ' " (3 i IL) 0 ''' ty5 i 0 -' iii 1 IL ' full daam tights ' Menthol tights 0 Q On Rum W011:1 ‘ I rising y r ch Ultra tights - - ' i AI lb - — - SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health ' "tar" 06 mg nicotine: Lights Lights "tar" 10 mg nicotine' loll Flavor Kings and MO's: 16 mg "tar" 13 mg nicotine ay per cigarette by FTC method Ultra Lights 100r 6 mg Kings and 100'r 12 mg BASED ON MANUFACTURERS & Menthol UST PRiCE FOR 1001i : ' ” ' For more information write to Literacy Volunteers of America Dept P2 5975 Widewaters Parkway Syracuse NY 13214 or Laubach Literacy Action Dept P Box 131 1320 Jamesville Ave Syracuse NY 13210 Nannamiummonsimansiv PACE 30 SEPTORDER 2 1990 ONE - II PARADE MAGAZINE |
