I stumbled on a wallet someone had lost in the street. Wanting to find the owner, I opened it, but it only contained 3 dollars and an old crumpled envelope. I opened the letter and saw a return address and dateline...1924. It had been written 60 years ago. It was a "Dear John" letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael, that the writer could not see him anymore because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always love him. It was signed Hannah.
我在街頭偶然發現了一個遺失的錢夾。當我打開錢包，試圖想找到關于失主的信息時，發現皮夾中只有三美元和一份弄得皺巴巴的信。我打開這封信，看見了寄信人的地址和落款日期：1924年。原來這是一份60年前寄出的信，這是一封“絕情信”，收信人是邁克爾，發信人因她母親的阻攔再不能見他。即便如此，她寫道她仍會一直愛著他。署名是漢娜。
I called information, maybe there was a phone listing for the address. The operator hesitantly told me there was a number, but the best she could do was call it and see if they wanted to be connected. I learned that Hannah was now living in a Nursing Home. And was given the number.
我打電話找了問詢信息臺，或許話務員可以通過信封上的住址查到電話。話務員猶豫地說，那個住址確實有一個電話，但出于禮貌，她可以打那個電話，說明我的情況后，看接電話的人是否愿意讓她再與我聯系。于是我知道了這個叫漢娜的女人現在住在一家養老院。然后我拿到了聯系電話。
It seemed silly, wanting to contact someone over a letter written 60 years ago, but I felt impelled. I was told that Hannah was there and though it was fairly late I followed my instinct and went to see her.
這整件事看上去有點傻，為什么我費這么大的勁去聯系一封差不多已有60年歷史的的信的主人。但我又覺得我必須這樣做。當我被告知漢娜現在就住在養老院，雖然時間已經有些晚了，我的本能告訴我，去找她。
She was a sweet silver-haired lady with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye. I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. She took a deep breath and said, "Young man, this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael."
她是一個和藹的老人，滿頭銀發，面帶微笑，神采奕奕。我告訴她關于拾到錢夾的事并給她看了信。她深深地吸了一口氣說：“年輕人，這封信是我和邁克爾最后的聯系。”

She said softly "I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too young. If you should find him, tell him I still love him. " With tears in her eyes she told me she had never married because no one had matched up to him in her heart.
她柔和地說：“我非常愛他，但是我那時只有16歲，我母親覺得我年齡太小了。如果你能找到他，告訴他我仍然愛著她。” 此時她眼含熱淚，繼續告訴我此后她一直沒有結婚，因為沒有人比得上邁克爾在她心中的那份感情。
I thanked her and left. As I was waiting by the elevator the nurse there asked, "Was Hannah able to help you?" I'd taken out the wallet as she was speaking and she said "Hey, wait a minute that's Michael Goldstein's wallet. I'd recognize it anywhere; he's always losing it."
我謝過漢娜并向她道別，就在我等電梯的時候，一旁的護士問到說：“漢娜能幫到你嗎？” 她說話的時候我掏出了那個錢夾。“嗨，等一下！那是邁克爾戈爾茨坦先生的錢夾。無論在何處我都能認出來。他總是弄丟它。”
My hands began to shake. "Who's Michael Goldstein?" I asked. "One of the residents on the 8th floor. That's his wallet for sure." I dashed up to the 8th floor and the nurse on duty told me he was still in the day room.
我的手開始顫抖起來。“誰是戈爾茨坦先生？”我問“他是8樓的一位老人，那肯定是邁克爾·戈爾茨坦的皮夾沒錯。”我迅速沖上了8樓，值班護士說邁克爾先生還在客廳中沒睡。
We went into the day room and as soon as Michael saw the wallet a smile of relief crossed his face. I confessed I'd read the letter in an attempt to find the owner of the wallet. The smile on his face disappeared.
我們走進了客廳，邁克爾先生看見錢夾時，笑著松了一口氣，我想他坦白我為了找到錢夾的主人讀了里面的信。這時，他臉上的微笑突然消失了。
"But I think you'll be happy I did," I said. I think I know where Hannah is. He grew pale. "Where is she? How is she? Please tell me he begged. "She's fine I said quietly." "I was so in love with that girl and when that letter came, my life came to a halt. I never married. I guess I've always loved her."
“但是我想您會因此感到高興”我說，我想我知道漢娜在哪里。他臉色突然變得蒼白，“漢娜？你知道她在哪兒？她還好嗎？請快告訴我。”他懇求說。“她很好”我輕柔地說道。“我是那么地愛著那個女孩，以致于收到那封信時，我的生命就結束了，我一直未娶，因為我始終愛著她！”
I asked him to come with me and took him down to the 3rd floor where Hannah was sitting alone, watching television. The floor nurse pointed to Michael. "Do you know this man Hannah?" She adjusted her glasses but didn't speak. Michael whispered, "Hannah it's me, Michael. Do you remember me?"
我讓他跟我走，然后直接把它帶到了三樓，漢娜正獨自坐在那兒看電視。護士指著邁克爾說：“漢娜，你認識這個男人嗎？”她扶了扶眼鏡，看了一會兒，沉默不語。邁克爾輕輕地，幾乎在耳語：“漢娜，我是邁克爾！你還記得我嗎？”
She gasped. "Michael. Michael, I don't believe it. It's you! My Michael." They walked towards one another and embraced. The nurse and I left with tears streaming down our faces.
她一下激動起來：“邁克爾！我不敢相信！邁克爾！是你！我的邁克爾！”他倆慢慢走向彼此，終于擁抱在一起。見到這重逢的情景，護士和我流著淚悄悄地離開了。
About three weeks later I got a call from the nursing home. "Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!"
三周后，我接到養老院打來的電話，“你能在星期日抽空參加一個婚禮嗎？邁克爾和漢娜要喜結良緣了！”
It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing home joining in the celebration. I was the best man! The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a 76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two teenagers, you had to see this couple. A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60 years.
婚禮辦得很熱鬧，養老院的所有人前來慶祝。他們讓我做了伴郎。醫院給了他們倆自己的房間，如果你要想看看76歲的新娘和79歲的新郎怎樣像兩個十幾歲的年輕人，那你一定得來見見這對夫婦！一份持續了60年的愛情終于得到了它該有的完美的結局。