It {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(get) dark. Paul looked out of the window and signed (叹气). Dad said he could come home by 5:30, but it was almost 7:00. Even if Dad came back, it wouldn't be much fun playing baseball in the dark. Paul walked into his room and{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(throw) his baseball into the corner. He tried to do some homework, but couldn't.

    Paul couldn't understand why Dad was so busy. He threw himself into the sofa and soon fell asleep. His book{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(open) to the first page.

    The next day at school, Paul didn't hand in his homework and failed a test. Mrs. Green, his teacher, asked him to stay after school. “This isn't like you. What's wrong?”

    Paul just sat there quietly. “Paul, if you don't want to talk, I will. I know that something wrong     with you, but you have to get it out. You need to tell someone.”

    As Paul walked home, he thought of what Mrs. Green said. When Paul got home, he called his dad. But there was no answer. Then it went to voicemail (语音信箱). Paul began talking: “Dad, I can't play with you next weekend. I {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(get) lots of problems with my homework. Also, I really don't want to spend another day looking out of the window and waiting. Whenever you break our plans, Dad, it  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(hurt) me. It's not too late to rebuild our relationship, but we have to start small. I call you to ask you to help me with my homework sometime. Dad, I love you.”

    As Paul ended the call, he felt much relaxed. He didn't know whether his dad{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(be) different, but it didn't matter. He himself changed. He expressed his feelings to the right person. He had a clear head as he did his homework that evening.