An elderly man lay dying in his bed. In death's agony（苦恼） , he suddenly smelled the aroma1（芳香） of his favorite chocolate chip cookies wafting2（飘荡） up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength, and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing（栏杆，扶手） with both hands. With labored3（吃力的，费劲的） breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen.
Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven: there, spread out upon newspapers on the kitchen table were literally4 hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Was it heaven? or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted5 wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?
Mustering6 one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table, landing on his knees in a rumpled7（凌乱的） posture8. His parched9 lips parted; the wondrous10（奇妙的） taste of the cookie was already in his mouth; seemingly bringing him back to life. The aged11 and withered12 hand, shockingly made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when it was suddenly smacked13 with a spatula14（抹刀，小铲） by his wife.
"Stay out of those," she said, "they're for the funeral."
