約會

最近有個長久失聯的同學將下面的文章寄給我, 仍然是英文版, 我想或許因為是英文版, 在網路上並沒有像"一碗拉麵"的故事廣為流傳, 讓我覺得很可惜, 所以就將它的中文翻譯加上去, 方便你們欣賞. 而為了避免因我的翻譯失真造成原意的流失, 我也將英文部分保留, 方便對照查詢英文原意 --- Hertz

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在我結婚21年後, 我的太太要我帶另外一個女人出去共進晚餐, 並一起看電影. 她跟我說: "我愛你, 但我知道這個另外的女人也愛你, 並且也喜愛花些時間跟你在一起."
After 21 years of marriage, My wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you."


那個我太太要我去約會的女人, 就是我母親, 她已經寡居了19 年, 但平日來自我的工作以及我的三個小孩的各式各樣的需求, 讓我只能偶而去看看她.
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

那天晚上, 我就打電話給她, 說要請她一起出去吃晚餐, 之後再去看場電影.
That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.

"出了什麼事? 你還好嗎?"她問道. 我媽是那種對於深夜打來的電話, 或是突然的邀約, 都會有所疑慮的女人.
"What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitationis a sign of bad news.

" 我在想, 能夠跟您在一起一段時間, 一定很棒!" 我回答道, "而且就只有我們兩個." 她考慮了一會兒, 然後跟我說: "我非常喜歡那樣!"
"I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you, "I responded. "Just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."

在星期五下班後, 我開車去接她, 當時我有一點緊張. 當我到達她的房子前, 我發現她似乎也是對我們的約會感到緊張. 她披上她的大衣等在大門口. 她特別燙了頭髮, 並且穿了她上次為了慶祝結婚週年紀念日的服裝.
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

她天使般的臉上露著燦爛的笑容, "我告訴我的朋友們, 我將要和我的兒子外出約會, 而她們都好感動,"當她要進我的車子的時候, 她說:"她們都急著想要知道結果呢!"
She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's. "I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting."

我們到一個不算豪華, 但非常優雅, 令人愉快的餐廳. 我母親挽著我的手臂, 好像她就是第一夫人.
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

在我們坐下後, 我必須閱讀菜單. 她的眼睛只能讀大的字體. 當開胃菜部分看到一半時, 我抬起我的眼睛, 看到我媽坐在那裡, 兩眼瞪著我. 嘴唇上有著一個令人想起以前的微笑,
她說:"以前你小的時候, 都是我要去看這些菜單來伺候你的,"
我回答說: " 那現在就是你放輕鬆, 換我來伺候你的時候!"
After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small, "she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.

整個晚餐當中, 我們聊得十分愉快, 其中倒沒有什麼特別的不得了大事情, 就是聊了彼此最近生活中所發生的事情. 由於我們聊了好多, 結果我們錯過了原定的電影.
During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

稍晚, 當我們抵達她的房子時, 她說: "我想要再和你出去一次, 但這次你必須讓我請你. " 我同意了.
As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.

當我回到家後, 我太太問我:"你的晚餐約會如何?" 我回答她:"非常棒, 比我所能想像的更棒!"
"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

就在幾天後, 我母親死於心肌梗塞. 這一切發生得太突然, 以致於我無法為她作任何事情. 過了一些時候, 我收到一個信封, 裡面裝了一個餐廳收據的影本, 來自於我之前和她去吃的那一家. 附著一張信籤: " 我先把帳單付了. 我實在無法確定我是否能去, 但不管如何, 我付了兩位的錢 - 一位是你, 而另外一位是你太太. 你永遠沒辦法了解那一晚對我的意義, 我愛你, 兒子!"
A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."

就在這一刻, 我了解到及時告訴你愛的人"我愛你", 以及保留原來屬於他們的時光. 生命中沒有比你的家庭更重要的. 保留本來就屬於她們的時間, 因為這些事情是無法先放一旁, 等到有空的時間再做.
At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVE YOU" and to give our loved ones the time they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."