李華結束了在中國的短期研究，返回美國，跟Larry一起在公園里散步。今天我們要學兩個常用語：deal和let go.

LL: Wow, Lihua. Not only am I glad that you are back, I'm grateful that we can spend some time together in this warm weather!

LH: 是啊，今天天氣真是太好了。你看，對面快餐店門口的那個不是小燕嗎？我們過去打個招呼吧！

LL: Ummmm. We can meet up with her later, but I'd rather stay here and talk with you.

LH: 怎么啦？你好象顯得很不自在。

LL: Ok Lihua, it's best that we don't go over there. She's - well - it's best you don't know what her deal is, you know?

LH: Her deal? 你說小燕走私毒品？那怎么可能！

LL: 'The deal' refers to someone's situation, mental state, or attitude problem. So, it's best that you not know what happened with her. But I should tell you.

LH: 我知道了，the deal是說一個人有問題。Tell me what her deal is. 還有啊，你也得好好解釋解釋，What YOUR deal is! 這次回來，你好象老是遮遮掩掩的。

LL: I'm sorry, but here's the deal: She took me out several times for dinner, and I -

LH: 真的嗎？你們倆人沒有怎么樣吧？

LL: Please let me finish. The deal is - she wanted to try to start dating, and I tried the most polite way possible to let her know what MY deal was - which was that I'm not interested, but -

LH: So THAT's the deal! 我真沒想到小燕會做出這種事來！What's her deal? 你干嘛不早告訴我！

LL: Ok, so the deal is - I was hoping to avoid this whole situation - to avoid this whole deal - but it's best that you know now.

LH: 我確實不太高興，但我相信你。我也很了解小燕，I know her deal.

LL：If only I had known, I could have avoided the whole deal altogether!

LH：算了，不說這些，我做了些三明治，還有茶，我們去野餐。

******

LH: 怎么樣，我做的三明治好吃嗎？

LL: Delicious, Lihua! Where did you learn to make these... during your time in China? Hahah!

LH: 別逗了，小燕那樁事，還是讓我心煩意亂的。她畢竟是我的好朋友，如今，她一定是傷透了心。

LL: Don't worry. She just needs some time to let it go.

LH: let what go? 放手？你難道有什么東西在小燕那里嗎？

LL: 'To let it go' means to forgive and continue with your life after something bad happens. She is upset about what happened. After some time, she will let it go.

LH: 我明白了，let it go是忘記不愉快的事情，向前走的意思。你是說，只要待以時日，小燕就會把這段感情忘掉？你要知道，Larry, 心靈的傷痛可是很難愈合的。

LL: I agree, but everyone is different. Sometimes it takes a long time for people to let things go. And sometimes, people never let things go.

LH: 沒錯，很多人都有過類似的經歷。

LL: I recall the first time I was rejected for a job that I applied for in college. It took me years before I could let it go!

LH: 還看不出來，你原來這么容易受到傷害。

LL: So, was there anything that took you a long time to let go?

LH: 那可能要算結束我的初戀了。

LL: Your first breakup? Who took longer to let it go? You or him?

LH: 當然是他了。說實話，我們兩個本來就不是一路人。分手后，我的第一任男友整整給我打了一年的電話，希望能破鏡重圓。He just recently let it go.

LL: Letting go can be the key to moving on with one's life. Sometimes people need to see a mental health specialist to help overcome such a difficult thing.

LH: 看心理醫生？有那么嚴重？對了，你要不要再加點茶？

LL: Ah, great. Thanks, Lihua! I won't let go.

LH: Let go? 你在說什么呀？

LL: Nothing. I mean I won't let go of the tea cup. It's very expensive! Haha!

LH: 你又鬧！有時候，我真搞不懂你。正經事說到一半，你就開玩笑。一點沒正經。

LL: You know that's not true. I think we should let it go.

LH: What??? Let WHAT go?

LL: This topic, of course!

今天李華學到了兩個常用語。一個是deal, 意思是某個人的狀況和問題。還有一個是let it go ， 意思是忘記不愉快的往事，走出陰影。