我在距我所住的鎮上約十公里的一所鄉間學校教書。那裡有許多不方便的，如買不到文具簿冊、家事材料等等。學生們大多在開學前買齊，或利用例假日乘車到鎮上買。有些和我比較親近的學生，便託我代買。我常常變成她們的義務採買。
學生託我代買東西，通常我總是在當天回家便買好，次日帶去，從不負她們所託。但是，有一次我卻忙忘了，受託那晚我沒去買，直到次日清晨要上班時才想起來。
那是一個學生要我幫她買三捲淺黃色的北京紙。鎮上有三、四家材料店，我原以為一上街很容易就可買到的，沒想到卻沒有買到。
我最先到我平日常去的那家，結果是關著門；再到鎮上最大的一家，也關著門；然後再跑到另一家，結果還是一樣：關著門。我正想是否硬給敲開門時，突然想起還有一家，乃抱著姑且一試的心裡前去，沒想到竟然在這我最不常去的一家買到了。全鎮就只有這一家材料店主人已起身，開了門做生意。
由於這緣故，我對這家材料店的印象丕變；我也決定，自此以後，都找這一家。
我在往學校的路上，一直在心中玩索著西洋這一句諺語：「早起的鳥兒有蟲吃。」
是呀！這句話，果然蘊有無盡的深意。
1978年10月3日中央日報副刊
The early bird Hsu ChiCheng
I teach in a countryside school far from my town about ten kilometers. There are many inconveniences, for instance, can’t buy writing materials and books, materials of housekeeping etc. The students almost buy all of them before school beginning, or take the bus to town to buy them on holiday. Someone who is on intimate terms with me often ask me to buy. I frequently am their duty buyer.
I often buy the things the same day when they asked me to buy, and bring for them in order not to break the promise. However, there is one time I forgot it, not buy it I promised that night, think it of till next morning I want to go to work.
They are three rolls of the yellow Peking paper which the students asked me to buy. Three or four shops are on the town, I think originally it’s easy to buy them as I go to the street, but it’s unexpectedly I haven’t bought them.
I went to the shop I often used to buy first, but its door is closed; I go to the biggest one again, it’s closed also; then I go to another shop, the result is the same: door closed .I suddenly think of there is a shop still while I guess to knock the door hard and fast, I go there just to make a try, unexpectedly I bought them at that shop I scarcely buy. It’s the only material shop in the town which opens the door to sell.
Due to this reason, my impression about this shop has a great change; I also decided from now on, I will go to this shop to buy.
On the way to school, I ponder a proverb: “The early bird catches the worm.” Yes. It really contains profound meaning limitlessly.@
責任編輯：林芳宇
