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A few months after we'd sold the motel, Mother arrived home with a used typewriter. It skipped between certain letters and the keyboard was soft. At dinner that night I pronounced the machine a “piece of junk.”
我們賣了汽車旅館沒幾個月，媽搬回來一臺舊打字機。這架打字機有時要跳字，鍵盤也很松。那天吃晚飯時，我把這臺機器說成是“廢物一件”。
“That's all we can afford,” Mother said. “It's good enough to learn on.” And from that day on, as soon as the table was cleared and the dishes were done, Mother would disappear into her sewing room to practice. The slow tap, tap, tap went on some nights until midnight.
“我們只買得起這樣舊的，”媽說。“學打字用是夠可以的了。”從那天起，餐桌一收拾，盤子一洗，媽馬上到她的縫紉間去練習。有幾天，那緩慢的嗒、嗒、嗒的聲音一直持續到午夜。
It was nearly Christmas when I heard Mother got a job at the radio station. I was not the least bit surprised, or impressed. But she was ecstatic.
臨近圣誕節的時候，我聽說媽在電臺找到一份工作。我一點也不驚奇，也不覺得有什么特別，但媽卻欣喜萬分。
Monday, after her first day at work, I could see that the excitement was gone. Mother looked tired and drawn. I responded by ignoring her.
星期一，媽第一天上班回來，我發覺媽的高興勁兒已經煙消云散。媽繃著臉，看上去很疲勞，我沒對她作任何表示。
Tuesday, Dad made dinner and cleaned the kitchen. Mother stayed in her sewing room, practicing. “Is Mother all right?” I asked Dad.
星期二，爹做晚飯，收拾廚房。媽呆在縫紉間練習打字。“媽還好嗎？”我問爸爸。
“She's having a little trouble with her typing,” he said. “She needs to practice. I think she'd appreciate it if we all helped out a bit more.”
“媽打字碰到點困難，”他說，“她需要練習。我想，如果我們在家里多幫一點忙，她會很感激的。”
“I already do a lot,” I said, immediately on guard.
“我已經做得不少了，”我馬上警覺起來，說道。
“I know you do,” Dad said evenly. “And you may have to do more. You might just remember that she is working primarily so you can go to college.”
“我知道你做得不少，”爹心平氣和地說。“說不定你還得再多干一點。你要記住，她現在工作主要是為了能供你上大學。”
I honestly didn't care. I wished she would just forget the whole thing.
老實說，上不上大學我并不在乎。我真希望媽媽一點也不要把這事放在心上。
