Jack是華爾街的一名投資經紀人,憑借扎實的專業和對財經信息的敏銳嗅覺,成為行內公認的高手。然而,他奢侈、快節奏的生活方式在飄雪的圣誕節前夜晚被一場意外徹底改變了。 Jack: How'd you know my name was Jack?
Angel: I call all you guys Jack. Here. Nice doing business with ya.
Jack: What do you want to carry that gun around for anyway? You're just gonna wind up doing something you regret.
Angel: You're talking to the wrong person about regrets, Jack.
Jack: I mean, there must be programs out there and, um, opportunities.
Angel: Wait a minute. Are you actually trying to save me? This is bananas. This man thinks I need to be saved, yo?
Jack: Well, everybody needs something.
Angel: Yeah? Well, what do you need, Jack?
Jack: Me?
Angel: You just said everybody needs something.
Jack: I got everything I need.
Angel: Wow. It must be great being you.
Jack: I'm not saying that you'd be able to do it without some hard work, some honest hard work, and possibly some medicine.
Angel: You know, I'm gonna really enjoy this. You just remember that you did this, Jack, okay? You brought this on yourself. Merry Christmas.
Jack遇到的可不是一般的人,而是一個天使,不過電影里天使被具體成了一個黑人流浪漢。甚至拿著兌獎券到一家店鋪兌獎都沒人肯相信他手中的獎券是真的,于是壞脾氣的天使居然拿出了手槍要挾對方。Jack就是在化解這場紛爭的過程中認識了他。
Jack勸說對方不要carry the gun around, 帶著槍四處逛,因為,you’re just gonna wind up doing something you regret. Wind up 有“結束,最終”的含義。Something you regret,一個省略了關系詞that的定語從句,翻譯為“讓你后悔的事情”。那么整句話就是要表達,如果你天天帶著槍,肯定有哪天會真的因為開槍傷人而后悔。
勸說一個有神力,每天都看著世事沉浮的天使去參加輔導班,讓人家服藥,不要做后悔的事兒,的確荒唐了些。所以天使的反應是are you actually trying to save me?你這是在救我嗎?This is bananas. 大家對bananas表示瘋狂地用法一定不陌生了吧。不過,更常見的是以go bananas, 動詞短語的方式來表示“發瘋了”。
天使反問Jack,你自己需要什么?得到的答案是I got everything I need. 我什么都不缺。我想要的都有了。于是,天使說,it must be great being you. 做一個啥都不缺的人一定很棒。
不過,事實真的是這樣嗎?Jack真的什么都不缺嗎?什么都不缺的人會在圣誕夜晚獨自一個人溜達,靠喝雞蛋酒麻醉自己嗎?天使的眼睛是雪亮的。既然你自己看不清,那我就想辦法讓你看清吧。但是,這是you brought this on yourself. 你自找的。你自己攬上身的。
完全沒把對方放在心上的Jack一如往常回到自己纖塵不染的名宅,不知不覺睡著了。隔天醒來,Jack發覺自己竟置身在一間零亂不堪的臥房里,若干年前的女友凱特就睡在旁邊,隔間房里傳來嬰兒的哭聲,還有個六歲大的女孩叫他爸爸。一連串的驚聲尖叫只是個開場,企業家Jack變成了居家男人。從前的一切像從未存在過一般。
好了。下期,我們繼續在Jack的故事里,尋找圣誕節帶給我們的思考。