"What, son?"
"Remember when we used to walk along the beaches—when you would buy all those shells for me to find?"
His father smiled. "I remember."
"Well, I was thinking about that beach we went to, the one where there were thousands of starfish that were stranded at low tide. Starfish dying as far as we could see. Seagulls snatching them up, dropping them on the rocks, and eating them. Remember all the starfish in that hot sun?"
"Sure," his father said. "You insisted on taking one of them and throwing it back into the water."
"I remember you telling me that it didn't make any difference," Stephen said.
"Did I say that?"
"Yes."
"I don't remember."
"I do," Stephen said. "Well, I've been thinking about it."
"About that starfish?"
"Yeah. I was thinking that it did make a difference. At least to that one starfish."
His father said nothing for a while. "Maybe you're right... I hope so," he said finally, and put his arm around Stephen's shoulder."/>

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" Dad," Stephen said.
"What, son?"
"Remember when we used to walk along the beaches—when you would buy all those shells for me to find?"
His father smiled. "I remember."
"Well, I was thinking about that beach we went to, the one where there were thousands of starfish that were stranded at low tide. Starfish dying as far as we could see. Seagulls snatching them up, dropping them on the rocks, and eating them. Remember all the starfish in that hot sun?"
"Sure," his father said. "You insisted on taking one of them and throwing it back into the water."
"I remember you telling me that it didn't make any difference," Stephen said.
"Did I say that?"
"Yes."
"I don't remember."
"I do," Stephen said. "Well, I've been thinking about it."
"About that starfish?"
"Yeah. I was thinking that it did make a difference. At least to that one starfish."
His father said nothing for a while. "Maybe you're right... I hope so," he said finally, and put his arm around Stephen's shoulder. "

― Paul Zindel , The Gadget

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Paul Zindel quote : Dad,"What, son?"
"Remember when we used to walk along the beaches—when you would buy all those shells for me to find?"
His father smiled. "I remember."
"Well, I was thinking about that beach we went to, the one where there were thousands of starfish that were stranded at low tide. Starfish dying as far as we could see. Seagulls snatching them up, dropping them on the rocks, and eating them. Remember all the starfish in that hot sun?"
"Sure," his father said. "You insisted on taking one of them and throwing it back into the water."
"I remember you telling me that it didn't make any difference," Stephen said.
"Did I say that?"
"Yes."
"I don't remember."
"I do," Stephen said. "Well, I've been thinking about it."
"About that starfish?"
"Yeah. I was thinking that it did make a difference. At least to that one starfish."
His father said nothing for a while. "Maybe you're right... I hope so," he said finally, and put his arm around Stephen's shoulder." style="width:100%;margin:20px 0;"/>
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