◎ Karen Scalf Linamen
It was December in California, and we had flown in from Texas to visit our families for the holidays. The days between our arrival and Christmas Eve brimmed with a flurry[59] of last minute activities.
加利福利亞的12月,我們從得克薩斯州乘飛機來到這里和家人一起過圣誕節(jié)。從我們到達的那天起直到平安夜,時間都被名目繁多的歲末活動擠得滿滿當當。
One evening we all hustled into the car to drive to a Christmas party at the home of family friends. We were a little behind schedule because my mom, sister, and I had gotten home late after spending a long day writing checks, signing charge slips, and bringing hysterical[60] grins of joy to the faces of local merchants at a nearby mall.
一天晚上,我們擠上一輛車,去親戚朋友家參加圣誕晚會。因為媽媽、姐姐和我在附近的商場瘋狂購物了一整天,不停地填支票、簽交費單,讓附近購物中的商人們笑開了花,直到很晚才回家,所以我們出發(fā)的時間已經(jīng)比原計劃晚了一些。
My mom looked across the front seat at my dad and said, “Whew! What a busy day! I feel like I haven’t seen you in a week!”
媽媽看著在前排開車的爸爸,說:“哎呀,今天真是繁忙的一天??!我感覺有一個星期沒見到你了!”
My dad grunted, checked the rearview mirror, and changed lanes at something approximating[61] the speed of light.
爸爸嘴里咕噥了幾句,一邊看后視鏡,一邊轉(zhuǎn)換車道,車速已經(jīng)接近光速了。
My mom reached over and twirled a lock of my dad’s hair around her finger. “I know! Let’s look at each other. For just a minute. In the eyes.”
媽媽伸出手纏繞著爸爸的一捋頭發(fā),說道:“我知道了!我們互相注視著對方吧,就一會兒,看著對方的眼睛。”
My dad responded this time. He groaned. “Honey, I’m driving.”
爸爸這次說話了,他咕噥道:“親愛的,我在開車呢!”
“Ten seconds. Five! I haven’t seen you all day. I need to look into your eyes. Are you ready?”
“就看10秒鐘。5秒!我已經(jīng)一整天沒看見你了。我需要注視你的眼睛。準備好了嗎?”
He shook his head. “I can’t look right now. We’ll have a wreck!”
爸爸搖了搖頭:“我現(xiàn)在不能看你。否則我們會撞車的。”
“At the next light.”
“那就等下一個紅燈的時候!”
At the speed we were traveling, we hit the next red light in no time. And sure enough, holding hands across the front seat, my parents turned and gazed into each other’s eyes. “Hi,” my mom said. “Hi,” my dad said warmly back.
我們的車飛快地行駛著,不一會兒就趕上了紅燈。果然,父親轉(zhuǎn)過身,隔著前座和母親手握著手,深情地注視著對方的眼睛。“嗨!”媽媽說?!班?!”爸爸熱情地回應道。
Then the light changed, the gas pedal hit the floor, and the race was on again. Nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed. Most of all, I was silently moved by what I had witnessed: a small harbor of reconnection in a raging hurricane of activity and distraction.
這時,綠燈亮了,油門踩到底,賽車又開始了。好像一切都沒有改變,又好像一切都變了。最重要的是,剛剛親眼看到的那一幕已經(jīng)悄悄打動了我:在這手忙腳亂、焦頭爛額的日子里,居然還有這樣讓愛重溫的小港灣。