A Chance of a life time：生命的機(jī)遇

　　"This is a chance of a life time," I declared to my friend Stacy as I locked the door of my office and left the restaurant I managed. "It's every twenty-seven-year-old woman's dream to live in New York City, and in a few months I'll know if I get the transfer."

　　“這可是我生命中的一次機(jī)遇，”我對(duì)斯泰西說(shuō)。說(shuō)著，我鎖上辦公室的門(mén)，離開(kāi)了我經(jīng)營(yíng)多年的飯店。在紐約生活，這可是每個(gè)27歲的女人所夢(mèng)寐以求的.還有幾個(gè)月我就可以知道能否獲準(zhǔn)遷入。

　　I watched the moonlight glisten on the waters of Laguna Beach. "I'll miss it here, but living in the Big Apple is everything I've ever wanted - a dream come true."

　　我凝視著倒映在拉古納灣水面上的月光。"我很留戀這里，可住在紐約是長(zhǎng)久以來(lái)我心中惟一的夢(mèng)想--如今，美夢(mèng)就要成真了!"

　　We met a group of our friends at a local cafe, and I jabbered on about the possibility of my move. Laughter erupted from a nearby table. I watched as a handsome man captured the attention of his friends with his engaging story. His broad, warm smile and air of confidence held me in a trance. Stacy nudged me. "You're staring,

　　在街上的一家小咖啡店里，我們遇到了一群朋友，我便和他們閑聊著我可能要走的事。這時(shí)，鄰近的一張桌子爆發(fā)出陣陣笑聲。我應(yīng)聲望去，看見(jiàn)一個(gè)英俊的男人正在給他的朋友講一個(gè)引人人勝的故事。他那坦率、溫暖的笑容和自信的模樣讓我不由地發(fā)怔。 斯泰西輕輕地捅了我一下，說(shuō)道："嘿，米歇爾，你發(fā)什么呆，好像著魔了一樣。"

　　Michelle, and about to drool." "Wow," I whispered. I watched the gorgeous guy push up the sleeves of his bulky sweater. Everyone at his table had their eyes fixed on him. "That's the man I want to marry." "Yeah, right," Stacy droned. "Tell us more about where you'd like to live in New York, because we all plan to visit you there when you land this job. " As I spoke my gaze drifted back to the debonair man.

　　我看著那英俊的家伙卷起他那寬松外套的衣袖。他桌邊的同伴都全神貫注地望著他。我輕呼道;"哦!那正是我要嫁的男人。""的確不錯(cuò)，"斯泰西說(shuō)。"不過(guò)，還是快說(shuō)說(shuō)你在紐約打算住哪兒?要知道我們都打算等你工作定了去那兒看你。" 我回答著她的問(wèn)題，目光卻不由自主地移向那個(gè)神采飛揚(yáng)的男人。

　　Three months later my friends and I gathered at the same restaurant. "To life in the Big Apple!" they cheered as we tapped our glasses together. "My chance of a lifetime!" We talked for hours. I told them of my plan to save money by moving out of my beach cottage and renting a room for the few remaining months. Our friend offered, "I have a fellow South African friend who is considering renting one of the four bedrooms in his house. His name is Barry. A great guy." He scribbled on a napkin. "This is his number. He's a forty-two-year-old confirmed bachelor. Says he's much too busy being a single dad to be a husband."

　　三個(gè)月后，我和朋友又相聚在同一家餐廳里。我們互相碰杯，歡呼道："為了紐約的新生活!"我們聊了幾個(gè)小時(shí)，我總說(shuō)這是我生命中的一次機(jī)遇。我告訴他們?yōu)槭″X(qián)我決定搬出海邊的小木屋，準(zhǔn)備在離開(kāi)前的幾個(gè)月內(nèi)租一間房間住。"我有一個(gè)來(lái)自南非的朋友，"一個(gè)朋友主動(dòng)提出，"他叫巴里，是個(gè)很不錯(cuò)的家伙。""這是他的電話(huà)，"他在一張餐巾紙上寫(xiě)下了號(hào)碼。"他是個(gè)42歲堅(jiān)定的單身主義者。他戲言自己忙于做一個(gè)單身父親而沒(méi)有時(shí)間再做丈夫。"

　　I made an appointment to see the room the same day. I approached the entrance of the spacious house, and the door opened. "You must be Michelle," he said. He pushed up the sleeves of his bulky sweater and flashed his handsome smile. It was the man from the restaurant months before --- the man I wanted to marry.

　　當(dāng)天，我便預(yù)約去看房子。我正朝那所大房子走去時(shí)，門(mén)開(kāi)了。"你一定是米歇爾，"他說(shuō)著，卷起他寬松外套的衣袖，臉上漾起迷人的微笑。這不就是幾個(gè)月前飯店里的那個(gè)男人--那個(gè)我想要嫁的男人!

　　I stood staring, my mouth gaping, hoping I wasn't drooling.

　　我目瞪口呆地站在那里，希望自己沒(méi)有失態(tài)。

　　"You are Michelle, aren't you? " he said, coaxing me out of my trance." Would you like to see the room?"

　　"你就是米歇爾，對(duì)嗎?"他打斷了我的思緒，說(shuō)道："你想看看房間嗎?