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So most Sundays
事情是这样的，几乎每个星期天
I bang out a quick 5km run around my local park,
我都会在家附近公园里小小的跑上5公里
it resets my body clock
这会让我的生物钟重归正轨
after a weekend
在之前的周末两天
playing video games
我都在玩电子游戏
or writing until like 3am.
或写作直至凌晨3点
So
这一天
as I'm getting to the last half a kilometre ,
我刚准备跑完这一公里的最后一小半跑道
I see a figure in the distance.
我远远的看到一个身影
They have brightly coloured, pink footwear on,
她一双脚上穿着颜色鲜艳的粉色溜冰鞋
I'm only just sort of registering this
我刚刚看清这双鞋
in my exhausted state
运动完有些疲乏
when wham,
突然，“轰”
they hit the deck.
她撞到木栏上
Hard.
撞得不轻
To my surprise,让我惊讶的是
they just get right back up again,他们却很快站了起来
but again
wham they hit the deck,
only this time,
不过这一次
they don't get up.
他们没有再站起来
I pick up the pace a little,
我稍稍加速
jogging over to them
跑向那人
and asking if they're okay.
像问问她是否需要帮助
It's a girl,
那是个小女孩
maybe ten or eleven,
约莫十岁或十一岁
all on their own,
一个人呆在那里
taking off a pair of roller skates
正设法脱掉自己的溜冰鞋
with their face all red
脸上红肿
from what were obviously two painful falls
原因明显是刚才那狠狠的两摔
onto hard concrete.
撞到坚硬的水泥地面上
"Yeah, I'm okay, thanks",
“嗯，我没事，谢谢”
she says.
她说
But she is not okay.
但她并非没事
There's tears forming in her little eyes
她小小的眼睛里有泪水流出来
as she takes off her rollerblades
一边还在脱下自己的溜冰鞋
and swaps them for training shoes
换上一双训练鞋
she's been carrying in her bag.
她一直将那双鞋子放在背包里
"That was a really bad fall,
那一跤摔得挺重的
are you sure you're okay?"
你确定你没事吗
"Yeah,
没事
I just got scared"
我就是吓到了
she replies.
她答说
"Have you just started Roller Skating,
你才刚刚开始学溜冰
yeah?"
是不是？
I ask,
我问道
it's obvious she has,
答案显然是如此
the skates are like brand new.
那双溜冰鞋还是簇新的
"I only got them on Friday!"
“我星期五的时候才得到这双鞋！”
she says,
她说到
a little smile appearing
小小的脸上露出微笑
as she remembers
似乎想起
how happy and excited she must have been to get them.
自己刚刚得到这双鞋子的时候多么喜悦和兴奋
"Wow,
哇
that's awesome!
真棒
But, you know,
但是，你知道
I think it might be a bit too windy to practice,
我觉得今天风有些大，不适合练习
I used to skateboard
我过去经常滑雪
and it's amazing
我惊讶的发现
how a little bit of wind
一点点微风
can throw you off your balance!"
就会吹得你失去平衡
"Yeah, it is really windy",
没错，今天真的风很大
then that little tear forming in her eye
她眼眶中又冒出小小的泪珠
began to drip down her cheek.
泪珠开始从她脸颊上滚落
She was doing everything in her power
她正竭尽所能
not to cry in front of a stranger,
不在一个陌生人面前哭泣
she knew
她知道
she had to be strong.
自己必须坚强
Her little voice quivered ,
她小小的声音颤抖着
but not once did she break.
但没有崩溃痛哭，一次也没有
"Are Mummy and Daddy around?"
你爸爸妈妈在附近吗
I asked her,
我问她
looking around
环顾四周
to see if there were any parents nearby
想看看附近有没有家长
to call over.
可以招呼过来
"No, my Mum is at home"
“没有，我妈妈在家里”
"Wow,
哇
so you came all the way here on your own
这么说，你是自己一路走过来的
because you're so excited to use your skates!?"
因为你迫不及待想要试一试你的溜冰鞋？
"Yep",
“没错”
again,
再一次
her smile sort of overrides the tears.
她的微笑抑制住了眼泪
She's proud of herself,
她为自己感到骄傲
and I am too.
我亦如此
"Oh my,
哦，我的老天
you are the bravest little girl I have ever met!
你是我遇到过的最勇敢的小女孩！
Do you live close by,
你住在附近吗
I only ask because
我只是想知道
if you fall
如果你摔倒
and graze your elbow,
擦破了膝盖
it's just a short walk home isn't it"
是不是很快就能回家处理伤口
"I do,
是的
but my Mum said
但是我妈妈告诉我
not to tell people where I live"
不要告诉别人我住在哪里
I laugh.
我大笑起来
She smiles again.
她也在微笑
"Well", I continue, "
“那么，”我接着说到
I'm going to carry on running.
我要接着跑步了
You look after yourself, okay?
你好好照顾自己，好吗？
And I really mean it,
我说的话都是真心实意
you are so brave
你真的很勇敢
learning to roller skate like that!"
像这样一个人学溜冰
"Thank you!"
“谢谢！”
she says again,
她又说
she's stopped crying,
她停止了哭泣
she just looks so proud of herself.
看起来为自己自豪极了
"You are so welcome!"
“不用谢！”
it triggered something parental in me,
这个小女孩似乎触动了我心中柔软的角落
I just started crying.
我泪眼婆娑
People are absolutely amazing sometimes,
有时候有些人真的令人赞叹
and if or when I have kids,
如果我也会有孩子，到了那时
if they're half as brave and strong as that little girl,
如果他们有这个小女孩一半勇敢，一半坚强
I'll be a very, very proud father indeed.
我会是一个非常，非常骄傲的父亲
Keep it up,
加油
Roller Girl,
学溜冰的小女孩
you made me proud to be a human today.今天是
你让我为自己生而为人感到骄傲 |
