評(píng)論
打印
As far back as I can remember, Mama was telling people they were in the wrong line of work and suggesting alternative careers.
在我的記憶中，媽媽告訴人們他們從事的工作不對(duì)，并建議其他可供選擇的職業(yè)。
If the landlord fixed the sink, she told him he should have been a plumber.
如果房東修好了水槽，她就告訴他應(yīng)該去做水管工。
If he couldn't fix it, Mama would wait until the plumber came and then tell him he should have been a landlord.
如果他沒(méi)修好，母親會(huì)等到水管工來(lái)，然后告訴他應(yīng)該做房東。
And if either one of them told her a joke, Mama would have to know why he hadn't gone into show business.
如果他們中的任何一個(gè)給她講一個(gè)笑話(huà)，媽媽就會(huì)想知道他為什么沒(méi)去當(dāng)演員。
My turn came when I grew up and became a housewife. "You missed your calling," Mama sighs, examining the doodles on my phone book.
當(dāng)我長(zhǎng)大后做了家庭主婦，就輪到我了。“你沒(méi)接到電話(huà)，”母親看著我電話(huà)簿上的涂鴉后，嘆息著。
"You should have been an artist."
“你應(yīng)該做個(gè)藝術(shù)家。”
Later, I tell her how I returned rancid fish to the supermarket and demanded a refund, and she amends this to lawyer.
后來(lái)，我告訴她我是如何把變質(zhì)的魚(yú)送回超市并要求退款，她把這件事告訴了律師。
I know it's horse feathers, but I like it.
我知道這是馬毛，但我喜歡。
"You missed your calling," I tell Mama. "You should have been a vocational counselor."
“你沒(méi)接到電話(huà)，”我告訴母親。“你應(yīng)該當(dāng)個(gè)職業(yè)顧問(wèn)。”
"I know," she sighs. "But that's life. Maybe now that it's spring ..."
“我知道，”她嘆息道，“但這就是生活，也許現(xiàn)在是春天了……”
According to Mama, there is no problem that will not be a little bit solved by the coming of spring.
根據(jù)母親的說(shuō)法，沒(méi)有哪個(gè)問(wèn)題在春天到來(lái)時(shí)解決不了。
I grew up believing that there was only one correct way to end a discussion of things unpleasant or troublesome:
我從小就相信，只有一種正確的方法可以結(jié)束對(duì)不愉快或麻煩事的討論：
nod at the calendar, pat somebody on the back if possible, and sigh, "Maybe in the spring ..."
朝日歷點(diǎn)頭，可能的話(huà)拍拍某人的背，然后嘆口氣說(shuō)，“也許在春天……”
I could understand how certain problems—sinus conditions, chapped lips, sticking windows—would respond to the change of seasons.
我能理解鼻竇炎、嘴唇皸裂、封住窗戶(hù)等問(wèn)題，隨著季節(jié)的變化而改變。
But I never tried to unravel the spring magic that Mama vowed would help me understand fractions or long division.
但我從未試圖解開(kāi)母親發(fā)誓會(huì)幫我理解分?jǐn)?shù)或多項(xiàng)式長(zhǎng)除法的春天魔法。
