By Tom Clifford
Haneda, Tokyo's second airport, is conveniently located just a short train ride from Shinagawa in the south of the Japanese capital. On a recent Friday afternoon, I showed my passport to security. I was the only one in that particular line. It was a quiet day.
東京第二大機(jī)場羽田機(jī)場距離東京南部的品川只有一小段火車車程,位置十分便利。最近一個周五的下午,我來到這里,出示了護(hù)照。我是這條特殊線路上唯一的乘客。這是很安靜的一天。
“And why have you come?” I was asked politely by a security official examining my passport.
“您來這兒做什么呢?”一位安檢官員檢查著我的護(hù)照,并禮貌地問道。
“Well I used to live here and have come back to see some friends.''
“恩,我以前住在這兒,回來看望一些老朋友。”
“You flew from…?”
“您從哪兒來……?”
“Beijing.”
“北京。”
And then this is what amazed me. “Ah,'' he said, “the bicycles, lots of bikes”.
接下來他的話讓我很驚訝。“啊,”他說,“自行車,那里有很多自行車”。
“Yes,” I replied. “They are very popular now.”
“是的”,我回答,“自行車現(xiàn)在很流行。”
“It is healthy,” he said.
“這很健康,”他說。
He seemed ready to have a chat and I was ready to oblige. I was in no particular hurry. No one was waiting for me on the other side and no one was behind me. “Yes it is very healthy. And enjoyable. I cycle everywhere in Beijing.”
他似乎已經(jīng)準(zhǔn)備要跟我聊天了,我也準(zhǔn)備好回應(yīng)他。我沒什么著急的事情,前后也沒有人在等我。“是的,騎自行車很健康。而且還很愉快。我可以騎著自行車到北京的任何地方。”
“Where are you staying?”
“你打算住在哪兒?”
“Shinagawa.”
“品川。”
“Not far. Have a great time.”
“不太遠(yuǎn),祝你玩的開心。”
With that, he stamped my passport and I went through.
然后,他給我的護(hù)照蓋了章,讓我過關(guān)。
I was only in Tokyo for two days. In fact I had no arrangements to stay anywhere. There is a certain freedom in not knowing how the winds of fortune will blow. I had packed light, just a small backpack. Tokyo is a city where memories are made even if plans aren't.
我只在東京呆了兩天。事實上,我沒安排任何住的地方。不確定命運(yùn)之風(fēng)吹向何處,反倒是一種自由。我的包裹很輕,只有一個小背包。東京是一個不經(jīng)意就會留下很多記憶的城市。
Shinagawa is the first major stop from Haneda. I got off, had a walk, and then saw students setting up tables for a charity food fair. Delights from all over Japan were on offer. I sat down and asked a student if they could tell me where I could find a good B&B. Two students walked me around the corner and within five minutes I had a room at a very good price. I left my bag there and went back to the food. Nothing cost more than $5.
品川是我從羽田機(jī)場出來的第一站。下車之后,我慢慢地走著,然后看到學(xué)生們在為慈善食品會做準(zhǔn)備。日本各地的美食都擺到了桌子上。我坐下來問一個學(xué)生,哪里可以找到好的家庭旅館。兩個學(xué)生帶著我走過拐角處,走了5分鐘,就找到了物美價廉的旅館。我把背包放在旅館,然后又回到那里吃東西。所有東西的價格都不到5美元。
After a marvelous night and a good sleep, I went for a long walk in the morning. Then this lady started following me and taking pictures of me on her phone. After 10 minutes or so, I went up to her to introduce myself and ask why she was following me.
經(jīng)過了美妙的一晚,我睡得非常好,早上起來去散步,走了很遠(yuǎn)。然后有位女士開始跟蹤我,還用她的手機(jī)給我照相。大約10分鐘之后,我走到她跟前,向她做了下自我介紹,并問她為什么要跟著我。
“I know who you are,'' she said.
“我知道你是誰,”她說。
“That makes two of us, but who do think I am?”
“我有同感,但你覺得我是誰?”
“That's easy. You are Russell Crowe.''
“很簡單,你就是羅素•克洛。”
“No, I am not.”
“不,我不是。”
“I know, I know, you have to say that. But I saw you in the Generaltor.”
“我懂,我懂的,你必須這么說。但是我在《角斗士》上看到你了。”
“The Gladiator?”
“《角斗士》?”
“Yes, I saw you. You were very good.”
“是的,我看見你了。你真是表演得太好了。”
“Look, I promise you, I am not Russell Crowe.”
“聽著,我向你保證,我真的不是羅素•克洛。”
She took some persuading but eventually realized what was patently obvious. I was not a movie star.
她想要說服我,但最終意識到,顯而易見,我不是電影明星。
I felt I had let her down, and offered to buy her a coffee.
我覺得我讓她失望了,所以主動給她買了一杯咖啡。
No, she said, crestfallen, and started deleting her photographs.
她說,不用了。然后開始垂頭喪氣地刪照片。
“Where do you live?” she asked, more out of politeness than interest.
“你住在哪兒?”她更多是出于禮貌,而非感興趣地問道。
“Beijing.''
“北京。”
“Ah,” she said. “The bikes, loads of bikes for people to use.''
“啊,”她說。“自行車,那兒有許多自行車供人們使用。”