克林顿推销自传《我的生活》所发表的演讲

克林顿推销自传《我的生活》所发表的演讲

名人演讲稿

xMyLifeExcerpt-ChapterOne

EarlyonthemorningofAugust19,1946,IwasbornunderaclearskyafteraviolentsummerstormtoawidowedmotherintheJuliaChesterHoitalinHope,atownofaboutsixthousandinsouthwestArkaas,thirty-threemileseastoftheTexasborderatTexarkana.MymothernamedmeWilliamJeffersonBlytheIIIaftermyfather,WilliamJeffersonBlytheJr.,oneofninechildrenofapoorfarmerinSherman,Texas,whodiedwhenmyfatherwasseventeen.Accordingtohissisters,myfatheralwaystriedtotakecareofthem,andhegrewuptobeahandsome,hardworking,fun-lovingman.HemetmymotheratTri-StateHoitalinShreveport,Louisiana,in1943,whenshewastrainingtobeanurse.ManytimeswhenIwasgrowingup,IaskedMothertotellmethestoryoftheirmeeting,courting,andmarriage.Hebroughtadatewithsomekindofmedicalemergencyintothewardwhereshewasworking,andtheytalkedandflirtedwhiletheotherwomanwasbeingtreated.Onhiswayoutofthehoital,hetouchedthefingeronwhichshewaswearingherboyfriend'sringandaskedherifshewasmarried.Shestammered"no"--shewassingle.Thenextdayhesenttheotherwomanflowersandherheartsank.ThenhecalledMotherforadate,explainingthathealwayssentflowerswhenheendedarelatiohip.

Twomonthslater,theyweremarriedandhewasofftowar.HeservedinamotorpoolintheinvasionofItaly,repairingjeeandtanks.Afterthewar,hereturnedtoHopeforMotherandtheymovedtoChicago,wherehegotbackhisoldjobasasalesmanfortheMaeeEquipmentCompany.TheyboughtalittlehouseinthesuburbofForestParkbutcouldn'tmoveinforacoupleofmonths,andsinceMotherwaspregnantwithme,theydecidedsheshouldgohometoHopeuntiltheycouldgetintothenewhouse.OnMay17,1946,aftermovingtheirfurnitureintotheirnewhome,myfatherwasdrivingfromChicagotoHopetofetchhiswife.LateatnightonHighway60outsideofSikeston,Miouri,helostcontrolofhiscar,a1942Buick,whentherightfronttireblewoutonawetroad.Hewasthrownclearofthecarbutlandedin,orcrawledinto,adrainageditchdugtoreclaimswampland.Theditchheldthreefeetofwater.Whenhewasfound,afteratwo-hoursearch,hishandwasgraingabranchabovethewaterline.Hehadtriedbutfailedtopullhi