I slowly walked up the icy steps of the brick-red building, the falling snowfreezing my hands. Cold weather always made me feel lonely, and the winter monthsseemed to drag on forever. Thinking about the heated classroom, I pounded on thelocked door, knowing a gentle knock would never be heard. I looked through thefrosted window and saw a large sign that read "I Have a Friend."Wearing bright green overalls, an even brighter t-shirt, and sneakers with thelaces untied, Summer came skipping to the door, her curly blond hairbouncing.

"Hi!" she said in a high-pitched voice. "I'mSummer. I think you're my teacher!" We walked in and sat at a large table.Summer began to explain my job.

"First, you help me with my homework.After that, we can play a game, okay?" I nodded. After completing herhomework, we began to work on a 500-piece puzzle.

"I've done this onea trillion times!" she bragged.

"Summer, you aren't old enoughto have done that puzzle a trillion times!" I answered. Summergiggled.

At eight o'clock, the children were sent back to theirapartments. I brought Summer up to the third floor. She knocked on the first dooracross from the elevator. I made sure she got inside safely, and began to headhome.

"Wait, Danielle!" Summer demanded. "Are you comingnext Tuesday? Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"Of course Iwill be here, and when you are done with your homework, we can finish that puzzlewe started," I assured her.

"Oh, goody!" Summer shouted,as if I was the only friend she'd ever had. I walked down the stairs toward thechilly outdoors.

For the entire winter, I tutored her a couple times aweek, and each time I was with her, she made me a happier person. She was alwayswilling to listen, and constantly eager to learn new things.

With her hugesmile and addictive sense of humor, Summer always seemed to make the lonelinessof winter disappear. Thoughts of the ice and snow melted away in the sunshine ofSummer. Pictures that Summer drew for me hang on my bulletin board, including myfavorite - her green dot-to-dot elephant, When people ask if I enjoy summer, Ithink of the little girl who changed my life. The sign in that large, loud roomsaid it all: I Have a Friend. I am very thankful I walked up those icy steps tomeet Summer.