生動的一課－－據理力爭

女兒因為在上高中期間換了外語課，無法達到許多college要求的４年外語（指同一門）課程。在和法語老師商量後，又得到學校Counselor的大力鼓勵和支持下，女兒決定上大學的summer法語課。這不，幾個禮拜的課，要花了老爸一千三百多銀子呢。等賬單來了，老爸鼓勵女兒和學校的counselor談，看能不能減免一些。最後，counselor說女兒有醫療保險，就把女兒的醫療保險費減免了一百多。其它費用，counselor就無能為力了。

由於老爸是大學的員工，按理也有50%減免。老爸出馬，跑了幾個辦公室，才摸清頭緒。不過也很失望－－目前的政策是隻有注冊的大學生才能享受。但學校正在討論新的政策，看女兒的這種情況是不是也可減免。所以，老爸就和女兒商量，賬單先付；然後，老爸出麵給大學的financial aidoffice寫一個email，說明情況。並在最後加了一句：“My daughter is seriously considering this university for her college education.”反正女兒的成績沒有問題，而女兒學校的學生是這所大學千方百計要爭取的。



今天早晨送女兒出門去打工，女兒就問老爸：“Did you get the message about waiving my summer French class tuition?”

“What? really? I did not get the message. Forward to me, please.”老爸自然是聽錢眼開了。

“I will. They sent to me yesterday and mentioned that they were going to refund all money to you. I read your message to them, too, since it was attached.”

“Really? See, you have to fight to get it. If I had not written the message, we would have not gotten this benefit. I bet my last sentence was important for them to make this decision.” 老爸連忙給一向比較內向的女兒上課。

“Yes!”女兒居然舉起了她的小拳頭。

“Now, you can keep all your money from your summer jobs. By the way, I never expected you to pay this tuition.(女兒這個summer先後打了三份工，到目前為止，掙了快２０００塊了吧。她一直說她自己要付這筆學費。）”

“Yeah！ I always expected to pay by myself, anyway.”

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（８／１７／２００７）