英語沙龍十年合集珍藏版第一輯Hi ，There-嘿，你好

所屬教程:英語沙龍十年合集珍藏版第一輯

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Hi ，There

It was Sunday，Christmas．Our family had spent the holidays in San Francisco with my husband's parents．But in order for us to be back at work on Monday，we found ourselves driving the ４００miles back home to Los Angeles on Christmas Day．We stopped for lunch in King city．The restaurant was nearly empty．We were the only family and ours were the only children．I heard Erik，my one－year－old，squeal with glee：“Hi there．Hi there．”He pounded his fat baby hands－－whack，whack－－on the metal highchair tray．His face was alive with excitement，eyes wide，gums bared in a toothless grin．He wriggled1)，and chirped，and giggled，and then I saw the source of his merriment2)．．．and my eyes could not take it all in at once．

A tattered3) rag of a coat obviously bought by someone else eons4) ago －－dirty，greasy5)，and worn．．．baggy pants，spindly body－－toes that poked out of would－be shoes．．．a shirt that had ring－around－the－color all over，and a face like none other．．．gums as bare as Erik's．“Hi there，baby；hi there，big boy．I see ya，buster．”My husband and I exchanged a look that was a cross between “What do we do？”and “Poor devil．”

Our meal came，and the cacophony continued．Now the old bum6) was shouting from across the room：“Do ya know patty cake？Atta boy．．．．Do ya know peekaboo7)？Hey，look he knows peekaboo．”Erik continued to laugh and answer，“Hi，there．”Every call was echoed．Nobody thought it was cute．The guy was a drunk and a disturbance．I was embarrassed．My husband，Dennis，was humiliated．Even our six－year－old said，“Why is that old man talking so loud？”

Dennis went to pay the check，imploring me to get Erik and meet him in the parking lot．“Lord，just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik．”I bolted for the door．It soon was obvious that both the Lord and Erik had other plans．As I drew closer to the man，I turned my back，walking to sidestep him－－and any air he might be breathing．As I did so，Erik，with his eyes riveted on his new friend，leaned far over my arm，reaching with both his hands in a baby's “pick me up” position．In a split second of balancing my baby and turning to counter his weight，I came eye to eye with the old man．Erik was lunging for him，arms spread wide．The bum's eyes both asked and implored，“Would you let me hold your baby？”There was no need for me to answer because Erik propelled himself from my arms into the man's．Suddenly a very old man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship．Erik laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder．The man's eyes closed，and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes．His aged hands full of grime，and pain，and hard labor－－gently，so gently，cradled8) my baby's bottom and stroked his back．

I stood awestruck9)．The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment，and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine．He said in a firm commanding voice，“You take care of this baby．”Somehow I managed，“I will，”from a throat that contained a stone．He pried Erik from his chest－－unwillingly，longingly－－as though he were in pain．I held my arms open to receive my baby and again the gentleman addressed me．“God bless you，ma'am．You've given me my Christmas gift．”I said nothing more than a muttered10) thanks．With Erik back in my arms，I ran for the car．Dennis wondered why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly and why I was saying，“My God，my God，forgive me．”

□by Nancy Dalburg

嘿，你好

正值星期天，圣誕節(jié)。我們?nèi)沂窃谂f金山與公婆一起過的節(jié)。但為了星期一能趕去上班，我們在圣誕節(jié)當天驅車４００英里趕回洛杉磯的家。我們在金市停下來吃午飯。餐館里空蕩蕩的。用餐的只有我們一家，也沒有別家的孩子。突然我聽到１歲的兒子艾瑞克興奮地大叫著“嘿，你好。嘿，你好。”并用他那胖小手“梆”“梆”響地拍擊著高椅上的金屬托盤。他神色激動，眼睛瞪得圓圓的，咧嘴而笑，露出那還沒長牙的牙齦。他先是扭著身子，接著發(fā)出嘖嘖咂嘴聲，隨后又咯咯傻笑，這時候我才找到了他快樂的源泉---但我的眼睛一時間竟難以接受。

一件碎布片似的、顯然是由別人在很久之前買的外衣---臟兮兮、油乎乎的、又破又舊……松垮垮的褲子---麻竿似的身子---腳趾頭露在了那還算鞋子的外面---襯衣上的污疵斑斑點點，奇特無比的臉……像艾瑞克一樣光光的牙齦。“嘿，你好，寶寶；嘿，你好，小伙子。我看見你了，老朋友。”我丈夫和我交換了一下眼神，我們在用眼神相互傳遞“我們怎么辦？”和“可憐的家伙”。

我們的飯菜上來了。那刺耳的聲音仍在繼續(xù)。現(xiàn)在那乞丐從屋子的另一頭叫喊著：“你知道小餡餅嗎？好小子……你會玩躲躲貓嗎？嘿，瞧，他會玩躲躲貓。”艾瑞克繼續(xù)大笑著回答：“嘿，你好。”他們倆就這樣一呼一應。沒人覺得這有什么意思。那家伙是個令人討厭的醉鬼。我覺得很尷尬。我丈夫丹尼斯感到丟盡了臉。連我們６歲的孩子都說：“那老人怎么那么大嗓門？”丹尼斯去付款，懇求我?guī)е鹂说酵＼噲龅人?/span>“上帝，讓我在他和我或艾瑞克說話前離開這兒吧。”我匆匆向門口沖過去。可我很快發(fā)現(xiàn)上帝和艾瑞克都另有打算。當我走近那個人時，我轉身側步而行以離他和他呼出來的空氣遠一點。就在這時，艾瑞克兩眼直勾勾地盯著他的新朋友，身子從我手臂里使勁往外探，伸出雙手，擺出小孩的“抱抱我”的姿勢。在轉身抱住孩子使身體保持平衡的那一剎那，我和那老人的眼神相遇了。艾瑞克張開雙臂朝他撲過去。乞丐的眼睛里帶著詢問和懇求，“你能讓我抱抱你的寶寶嗎？”我已經(jīng)沒有必要回答，因為艾瑞克自己已經(jīng)從我的手臂投入到他的懷中。突然，一個年紀非常大的老人和一個非常小的孩子之間的愛達到了水乳交融的境界。艾瑞克將小小的頭靠在那老人瘦骨嶙峋的肩上。老人的雙目緊閉著，淚珠在睫毛上晃動。他一只手非常輕柔地摟著孩子的屁股，另一只手輕輕地拍著他的背。他蒼老的手滿是塵垢，飽經(jīng)痛苦，歷盡磨難。

我站在那兒目瞪口呆。那老人把艾瑞克抱在懷里搖了一會兒，之后他睜開了眼睛，正視著我，以一種堅定的命令般的口氣說：“你好好照看這孩子。”我不知道自己是怎么說出來的，“我會的”，我的嗓子里像哽著一塊石頭。他費勁地從胸口把艾瑞克拉開---既不情愿又充滿渴望，似乎處在痛苦之中。我張開雙臂接回孩子，他又對我開口說話：“愿上帝保佑你，夫人。你已經(jīng)給了我一份圣誕禮物。”除了一聲喃喃的“謝謝”，我什么也說不出來。艾瑞克回到了我懷里，我朝車奔去。丹尼斯很納悶我為什么在哭，為什么把艾瑞克抱得那么緊，為什么會說“我的上帝，我的上帝，請寬恕我。”