評(píng)論
打印
Sometimes she called the police several times a day, begging them to disperse the dealers. But once the police car disappeared down the street, the dealers drifted back.
有時(shí)候她一天要報(bào)警好幾次，懇請(qǐng)他們把這些毒品販子驅(qū)散。但警車一旦開走在街頭消失，那些毒品販子們又會(huì)陸陸續(xù)續(xù)地回來。
As a 50-something mother of grown children, Armstead had not imagined fighting this battle. But it wasn't the first time she'd risen to an unexpected challenge. Back in the mid-1990s, when her own daughter was addicted to drugs and her young grandchildren faced foster care, Armstead got custody of the three boys and one girl.
作為一個(gè)50多歲、子女已經(jīng)長大成人的母親，阿姆斯特德從未想像過要進(jìn)行這場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)斗。但這并不是她第一次奮起應(yīng)付突如其來的挑戰(zhàn)了。在20世紀(jì)90年代中期，當(dāng)她自己的女兒染上毒癮，她的小外孫和外孫女需要人領(lǐng)養(yǎng)時(shí)，阿姆斯特德就把那三個(gè)男孩和一個(gè)女孩領(lǐng)來照管了。
One night in September 2000, about a month after she moved into her new house, Armstead prayed to God. "I'm gonna talk to these guys tomorrow. Help me."
2000年9月的一個(gè)夜晚，在她遷入新居后大約一個(gè)月的時(shí)候，阿姆斯特德向上帝祈禱：“明天我要跟那些家伙談一談。請(qǐng)幫助我。”
The next day, she confronted the leader of the group, a young man in jeans and a white T-shirt. Armstead's insides were turning over, but she knew she couldn't show her fear.
第二天，她直接找到那幫人的頭，一個(gè)身穿牛仔褲、白色T恤衫的年輕人。阿姆斯特德的五臟六腑在翻滾，但她知道她絕不能露出恐懼的樣子。
This is my space；, she said calmly and quietly, keeping her face a mask. "I shouldn't have to say ‘Excuse me' to get into my own house."
“這里是我的地方，”她平靜而溫和地說，臉上一直掛著裝出來的微笑。“我本不需要在進(jìn)自己家時(shí)還要說一聲‘請(qǐng)?jiān)彙！?/div>
She told the young man that she didn't want him and his friends dealing drugs in front of her grandkids anymore. They were to stay off her property, off the vacant property next door, off the comer.
她對(duì)那個(gè)年輕人說，她不希望他和他的朋友們?cè)佼?dāng)著她小外孫和外孫女的面販賣毒品。他們必須離開她的住宅，離開隔壁空關(guān)的住宅，離開那個(gè)街角。
The man was silent. Armstead's heartbeat rose into her throat. Then he nodded. The group left. But a few days later, they were back. Armstead repeated her request. She repeated it the next day. And the next.
那人一聲不響。阿姆斯特德的心已跳到喉嚨口。隨后那人點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭。那伙人離開了。但過了幾天，他們又回來了。阿姆斯特德把她的要求重說了一遍。第二天、第三天又重說了一遍。
Then a funny thing happened. They began to listen. They moved down to the next block. When winter came, they cleared snow from her walk and checked in on her when she was ill. Before long, they took to calling her "Mom."
隨后，一件有趣的事情發(fā)生了。那伙人開始聽話了。他們轉(zhuǎn)移到了下一個(gè)街區(qū)。冬天來了，他們把她房前路上的積雪掃干凈，她生病的時(shí)候，他們還來看望她。不久，他們就開始喊她“大媽”了。
