Life Together　相伴一生

Life Together　相伴一生

◎ Ruth a.k.a.

One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer’s office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce. Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story.

在一個(gè)陽(yáng)光明媚的日子里，一對(duì)70多歲的老夫婦走進(jìn)了律師事務(wù)所。顯然，他們準(zhǔn)備到那兒辦理離婚手續(xù)。律師對(duì)此感到十分困惑，而在同他們交談了以后，他得知他們之間的故事：

This couple had been quarreling all their 40 over years of marriage, and nothing ever seems to go right.

這對(duì)夫婦結(jié)婚40年來(lái)從未停止過(guò)掙扎。他們似乎找不到任何共同之處，一切都顯得格格不入。

They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there’s nothing else the old couple have to worry about. All they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce.

因?yàn)閾?dān)心他們的離婚會(huì)對(duì)孩子的成長(zhǎng)產(chǎn)生不良影響，這對(duì)老夫婦把離婚的事一直耽擱至此。而現(xiàn)在，孩子們都長(zhǎng)大成人了，也有了各自的家庭，這對(duì)老夫婦就再也沒(méi)有什么可擔(dān)心的了。他們現(xiàn)在渴望的就是過(guò)各自的生活，逃離這些年來(lái)婚姻帶來(lái)的種種不幸，正因?yàn)槿绱?，這兩位老人都贊同離婚。

Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers done, because he felt that after 40 years of marriage at the age of 70, he couldn’t understand why the old couple would still wants a divorce.

律師極其艱難地為他們擬了一份離婚協(xié)議書(shū)，因?yàn)樗X(jué)得，經(jīng)歷了40年的婚姻，現(xiàn)在兩個(gè)老人都已經(jīng)70多歲了，他實(shí)在不明白為什么這對(duì)老夫婦仍然堅(jiān)持要離婚。

While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband. “I really love you, but I really can’t carry on anymore, I’m sorry.”

當(dāng)他們簽署文件時(shí)，老夫人對(duì)丈夫說(shuō)：“我真的很愛(ài)你，但我實(shí)在是無(wú)法忍受下去了，非常抱歉?！?

“It’s OK, I understand.” said the husband. Looking at this, the lawyer suggested a dinner together, just three of them, wife thought, why not, since they are still going be friends.

“沒(méi)關(guān)系，我理解。”丈夫回答道?？吹竭@種情景，律師建議他們?nèi)艘黄鹑コ灶D晚餐，就他們?nèi)齻€(gè)人，老夫人想道，為什么不呢，反正他們很快就是朋友了。

At the dining table, there was a silence of awkwardness.

餐桌上，大家都沉默不語(yǔ)，氣氛十分尷尬。

The first dish was roasted chicken. Immediately, the old man took the drumstick for the old lady. “Take this, it’s your favorite.”

第一道菜是烤雞。老夫人的丈夫馬上夾了一個(gè)雞腿給她?！皣L嘗這個(gè)，這是你最喜歡吃的?！?

Looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe there’s still a chance, but the wife was frowning when she answer.

見(jiàn)到這種情景，律師心想，他們之間一定還有挽救的機(jī)會(huì)。然而，老夫人卻緊皺著眉頭答道：

“This is always the problem, you always think so highly of yourself, never thought about how I feel, don’t you know that I hate drumsticks?”

“這就是問(wèn)題所在，你總是這么自以為是，從來(lái)沒(méi)有顧及過(guò)我的感受，難道你就不知道我討厭吃雞腿嗎？”

Little did she know that, over the years, the husband have been trying all ways to please her; little did she know that drumsticks was the husband’s favorite.

她一點(diǎn)也不清楚，這些年來(lái)，她的丈夫一直想盡辦法逗她開(kāi)心；她一點(diǎn)都不知道，雞腿是她丈夫最喜愛(ài)的食物。

Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all; little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.

他一點(diǎn)也不清楚，他的妻子會(huì)認(rèn)為他完全不了解她；他一點(diǎn)也不知道，他妻子討厭吃雞腿，盡管他把自己最喜愛(ài)的都給了她。

That night, both of them couldn’t sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn. After hours, the old man couldn’t take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he can’t carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry; he wanted to tell her, “I love you.”

那天晚上，兩個(gè)老人都睡不著，各自輾轉(zhuǎn)反側(cè)。掙扎了幾個(gè)小時(shí)后，丈夫終于忍耐不住，他發(fā)覺(jué)自己仍然深愛(ài)著妻子，他的生活不能沒(méi)有她，他要她回來(lái)，他要親口告訴她，表達(dá)他的歉意；他要親口告訴她：“我愛(ài)你。”

He picks up the phone, started dialing her number. Ringing never stops. He never stop dialing.

于是他拿起電話，開(kāi)始撥打老夫人的電話號(hào)碼。鈴聲一直在響，電話那頭沒(méi)人接。他不停地按著重?fù)苕I。

On the other side, she was sad, she couldn’t understand how come after all these years, he still doesn’t understand her at all. She loves him a lot, but she just can’t take it any-more. Phone’s ringing; she refuses to answer knowing that it’s him.

另一方面，老夫人也很傷心，她不明白為什么經(jīng)過(guò)這么多年的相處，她丈夫仍然一點(diǎn)都不了解她。事實(shí)上，她也非常愛(ài)她的丈夫，但她再也不愿意跟他一起生活了。電話鈴聲在響，老夫人知道是她丈夫打來(lái)的，但她決定不再接他的電話。

“What’s the point of talking now that it’s over? I have asked for it and now. I want to keep it this way, if not I will lose face.” She thought. Phone still ringing. She has decided to pull out the cord.

“一切都結(jié)束了，現(xiàn)在談?wù)撨€有什么意思呢？當(dāng)初，是我提出的離婚，那現(xiàn)在我也得保持下去。對(duì)，就這樣下去，否則我豈不是很丟臉。”老夫人心想道。電話鈴聲依舊在響。她索性把電話線拉開(kāi)了。

Little did she remember, he had heart problems.

而她一點(diǎn)也不記得，她的丈夫有心臟病。

The next day, she received news that he had passed away. She rushed down to his apartment; saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone. He had a heart attack when he was still trying to get thru her phone line.

第二天早上，老夫人得知她丈夫昨晚去世的消息。她徑直向他的公寓里跑去，發(fā)現(xiàn)她的丈夫躺在沙發(fā)上，手里仍然握著電話。那天晚上，當(dāng)她的丈夫試圖接通她的電話時(shí)，心臟病突然發(fā)作，他就這樣離開(kāi)了她。

As sad as she could be. She will have to clear his belongings. When she was looking thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they got married, beneficiary is her. Together in that file there’s this note.

盡管她很悲傷，她仍不得不親自動(dòng)手清理他的遺物。當(dāng)老夫人認(rèn)真細(xì)致地翻著一個(gè)抽屜時(shí)，她發(fā)現(xiàn)了一張保險(xiǎn)單。保險(xiǎn)日期從他們結(jié)婚之日算起，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，保險(xiǎn)受益人是她。在這個(gè)文件夾里，還有一份就是她丈夫親手寫(xiě)的遺囑。

“To my dearest wife, by the time you are reading this, I’m sure I’m no longer around. I bought this policy for you. Though the amount is only $100k, I hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that I have made when we got married, I might not be around anymore, I want this amount of money to continue taking care of you, just like the way I will if I could have live longer. I want you to know I will always be around, by your side. I love you.”

“獻(xiàn)給我最親愛(ài)的妻子：當(dāng)你讀著這封遺囑的時(shí)候，我確信我已不在人間。我為你買(mǎi)了這份保險(xiǎn)。雖然金額總數(shù)才區(qū)區(qū)100 000美元，但我希望它能幫助我繼續(xù)履行我們結(jié)婚時(shí)我所說(shuō)的照顧你一生一世的諾言。我不能再陪你一起度過(guò)你的余生，但我希望保險(xiǎn)金額里的錢(qián)能夠幫助我實(shí)現(xiàn)照顧你后半生的愿望，就像我活著那樣照顧你。我也想讓你知道，我會(huì)一直在你的周?chē)谀愕纳磉?。我?ài)你！”

Tears flowed like river.

淚水如決堤的河流般奔涌而出。

When you love someone, let them know. You never know what will happen the next minute. Learn to build a life together. Learn to love each other for who they are, not what they are.

當(dāng)你愛(ài)著一個(gè)人的時(shí)候，就讓他知道。因?yàn)槟阌肋h(yuǎn)不知道下一分鐘將會(huì)發(fā)生什么事。學(xué)會(huì)一起生活，學(xué)會(huì)相愛(ài)，不為他們是你的什么，而為他們是你的誰(shuí)。

超多雙語(yǔ)閱讀，盡在聽(tīng)力課堂