讀點好英文:A Dance with Dad　與父親共舞

A Dance with Dad　與父親共舞

·Alan·

I am dancing with my father at my parents'50th-wedding-anniversary celebration. The band is playing an old-fashioned waltz as we move gracefully across the floor.His hand on my waist is as guiding as it always was, and he hums the tune to himself in a steady, youthful way.Around and around we go, laughing and nodding to the other dancers.

We are the best dancers on the floor-they tell us. My father squeezes my hand and smiles at me.All the years that I refused to dance with him melt away now.And those early times come back.

I remember when I was almost three and my father came home from work, swooped me into his arms and began to dance me around the table. My mother laughed at us, told us dinner would get cold.But my father said，“She's just caught the rhythm of the dance！Our dinner can wait.”Then he sang out，“Roll out the barrel, let's have a barreI of fun.”And I sang back，“Let's get those blues on the run.”

We danced through the years. One night when I was 15，lost in some painful, adoIescent mood.My father put on a stack of records and teased me to dance with him.“C'mon，”he said，“l(fā)et's get those blues on the run.”

When I turned away from him, my father put his hand on my shoulder, and I jumped out of the chair screaming，“Don't touch me！I am sick and tired of dancing with you！”I saw the hurt on his face, but the words were out and I could not call them back. I ran to my room sobbing hysterically.

We did not dance together after that night. I found other partners, and my father waited up for me after dances, sitting in his favorite chair.Sometimes he would be asleep when I came in, and I would wake him, saying，“If you were so tired, you should have gone to bed.”

“No, no，”he'd say，“I was just waiting for you.”

Then we'd lock up the house and go to bed.

My father waited up for me through my high school and college years when I danced my way out of his life.

Shortly after my first child was born, my mother called to tell me my father was ill.“A heart problem.”she said，“Now, don't come. It's three hundred miles.It would upset your father.”

A proper diet restored him to good health. My mother wrote that they had joined a dance club.“The doctor says it's good exercise.You remember how your father loves to dance.”

Yes, I remembered. My eyes filled up with remembering.

When my father retired, we mended our way back together again；hugs and kisses were common when we visited each other. He danced with the grandchildren, but he did not ask me to dance.I knew he was waiting for an apology from me.I could never find the right words.

As my parents'50th anniversary approached, my brothers and I met to plan the party. My older brother said，“Do you remember that night you wouldn't dance with him?Boy, was he mad?I couldn't believe he'd get so mad about a thing like that.I'll bet you haven’t danced with him since.”

I did not tell him he was right.

My younger brother promised to get the band.“Make sure they can play waltzes and polkas，”I told him.

I did not tell him that all I wanted to do was dance once more with my father.

When the band began to play after dinner, my parents took the floor. They glided around the room, inviting the others to join them.The guests rose to their feet, appIauding the golden couple.My father danced with his granddaughters, and then the band began to play the“Beer Barrel Polka”.

“Roll out the barrel，”I heard my father singing. Then I knew it was time.I wound my way through a few couples and tapped my daughter on the shoulder.

“Excuse me，”I said, looking directly into my father's eyes and almost choking on my words，“but I believe this is my dance.”

My father stood rooted to the spot. Our eyes met and traveled back to that night when I was 15.In a trembIing voice, I sang，“Let's get those blues on the run.”

My father bowed and said，“Oh, yes. I've been waiting for you.”

Then he started to laugh, and we moved into each other's arms.

艾倫

在父母金婚紀念慶典上，伴著古老的華爾茲旋律，我與父親在舞池中優(yōu)雅地翩翩起舞。他從容地哼著輕快的樂曲，像往常一樣把手放在我的腰際，引領(lǐng)著舞步。我們旋轉(zhuǎn)著四處滑動，笑著對其他舞者點頭致意。

大家都說，我和父親是舞場中跳得最好的一對。父親緊抓著我的手，微笑地望著我。許多年前，我曾拒絕和他跳舞，那道隔膜直到現(xiàn)在才消失殆盡，我們再次擁有了最初的美好時光。

記得在我大約3歲時，父親下班回家總要猛地把我抱進懷里，然后開始圍著餐桌跳舞。媽媽就會笑著說，晚飯都要涼了?？筛赣H說：“她剛剛跟上節(jié)奏，過一會兒吃?！比缓蟊愠似饋?，“把桶滾出來，讓我們擁有一桶的快樂?！蔽乙不爻骸白屛覀儩L走憂傷?！?/p>

很多年過去了，我們就這樣跳著，直到我15歲的一個晚上。我沉浸在青春期莫名的悲傷中，父親拿出一摞唱片，說笑著讓我跟他跳舞?！皝戆?，”他說，“讓我們滾走憂傷。”

我轉(zhuǎn)過身去，父親將手放到我的肩上，我騰地從椅子上跳起來，朝他尖叫道：“不準碰我，我不想和你跳舞！”我看見他臉上流露出哀傷的神情，但話已出口，無法收回。我跑回臥室，大哭了起來。

從那以后，我們再也沒有一起跳過舞。我有了其他的舞伴，而父親總是坐在他最喜歡的椅子上等著我跳完回家。有時候，我回來時他已經(jīng)睡著了，我叫醒他說：“你要是太累，就上床去睡吧。”

“不，不累，”他總說，“我只是在等你?！?/p>

然后，我們便各自關(guān)上房門，上床睡覺。

整個高中和大學期間，當我跳出他的生命，用自己的方式舞蹈時，他就這樣等著我。

我生下第一個孩子不久，媽媽打電話告訴我，爸爸病了。“心臟問題?！彼f，“你現(xiàn)在別回來，三百英里的路，會讓你爸爸不安的。”

合理飲食幫助父親恢復了健康。媽媽來信說，他們參加了一個舞蹈俱樂部。“醫(yī)生說這是種很好的運動，你還記得，你爸爸曾經(jīng)多么喜歡跳舞吧?！?/p>

是的，我記得，眼里滿是回憶。

父親退休后，我們努力想讓彼此的關(guān)系回到從前。每次見面時，我們會擁抱和親吻對方。他和孫兒們跳舞，但從不邀請我。我知道他是在等我道歉，但我總也說不出口。

父母金婚紀念日快到時，我和兄弟們商量宴會事宜。哥哥說：“你還記得那晚拒絕和他跳舞嗎？爸爸真瘋狂。真不敢相信他這么迷戀跳舞。我打賭，從那以后你再沒和他跳過舞。”

他說對了，但我沒說話。

弟弟說他去找樂隊，我對他說：“一定要找能演奏華爾茲和波爾卡的樂隊?！?/p>

我沒告訴他，我只是希望能與父親再跳一次舞。

晚飯后，樂隊開始演奏。父母進入舞池，并邀請其他客人加入。他們在房間里慢慢滑動舞步，大家都站了起來，為金婚夫妻鼓掌祝賀。在父親與孫女們跳舞時，樂隊開始演奏“啤酒桶波爾卡”。

“把桶滾出來！”我聽到父親輕輕哼唱著。是時候了，我繞過幾對夫婦，又拍了拍女兒的肩膀。

“對不起，”我直視父親的眼睛，幾乎說不出話來，“我想該輪到我了?！?/p>

父親一動不動地站在那里。我們對視著，似乎又回到了我15歲的那個夜晚。我的聲音顫抖著唱道：“讓我們滾走憂傷?！?/p>

父親彎下腰來，說：“噢，是的，我一直在等你?！?/p>

然后他開始笑起來，我們擁抱在一起。

Practising&Exercise　實戰(zhàn)提升篇

核心單詞

waist[weist]n.腰，腰部

squeeze[skwi：z]v.榨，擠，壓

rhythm['rie?m]n.節(jié)奏；韻律

barreI['b?r?l]n.大桶；一桶的量

adoIescent[,?d?'lesnt]n.青少年 adj.青春期的

sob[s?b]v.哭

favorite['feiv?rit]adj.特別喜愛的

retire[ri'tai?]v.引退；退隱

appIaud[?'pl?：d]v.為……鼓掌；為……喝彩

trembIe['trembl]v.發(fā)抖；震顫

實用句型

I did not teII him that aII I wanted to do was dance once more with my father.

我沒告訴他，我只是希望能與父親再跳一次舞。①that 在這里引導賓語從句。

②once more再一次。類似的表達還有once again等。

翻譯練習

1.短裙又開始流行了。（come back）

2.我們?nèi)ツ羌铱Х瑞^喝咖啡吧。（resort to）

3.請?zhí)顚戇@份調(diào)查表。（fill up）