美文欣賞：諒—佚名

美文欣賞：雖然馬克和爸爸從未達成他們的諒解，但現在我到同一地方看望他們。他們都安息在國立公墓—對兩位軍人來講都很榮耀。

I traveled through time last week.

上週我穿越時空。

Okay, all I really did was clean out a closet. But what I found took me back nearly three decades, to a day I never could quite explain.

這當然是開玩笑，我所做的只是清理壁櫥。但是我的發現把我帶到30年前我難以啓齒的一天.

The envelope was worn and the letter dog-eared and cnimpled. It was written in pencil by a passionate young soldier who looked like Richard Gere. It was written to me.

信封已磨破，信紙也是皺巴巴的那是一位熱情似火的年輕士兵用鉛筆寫的，他長得像理查德·基爾，信是寫給我的.

諒

Mark was on an airplane when he wrote it, leaving Oregon for his Army post on the eastern seaboard. In simple, transparent words, he put his heart on paper, and mailed it off to me.

馬克是在飛機上寫的，他正離開俄勒岡州到東海岸擔仟軍職簡單坦誠的文字，他把自己的心付諸紙上，然後寄給我。

He planned to talk with my dad and come to an "understanding". Mark was an optimist. It would've taken a diplomat to resolve their difference. Mark and my father were

both soldiers. Neither was a diplomat.

他計劃着和我爸爸聊聊，想要達成“諒解”。馬克是個樂觀主義者要解決他們之間的分歧恐怕需要一個外交官。但馬克和我爸爸都是軍人，都不是外交官.

As I read the letter, I closed my eyes and began to journey back.

當我重讀那封信時，我閉上雙眼，開始回J頑往事

And then, quietly, it was that day once more:

然後，靜靜地，又回到那一天:

Several weeks had passed since I'd received the letter from Mark. I was at work at a small accounting firm. At midday, I climbed into my car to drive home for lunch. I backed out of the long lane, which ran past the parking lot for a local cocktail lounge. Suddenly, my breath caught in my throat. There Mark sat, on his beloved motorcycle.

距我收到馬克的來信已過了好幾周我在一家小會計公司工作。中午，我鑽進車，開車回家吃午飯。我把車從長巷裏倒出來，巷子經過停車場一直通到一家雞尾灑吧突然，我的呼吸屏住了。我看見馬克坐在那兒，在他心愛的摩托車上。

But it couldn't be Mark, he'd left on a plane. So I didn't stop, because I knew I had to be seeing things, but still, I couldn't keep myself from looking back.

但那不可能是馬克，他乘飛機離開了，所以我沒停車，因爲我必須得看路，但我仍忍不住的回頭看。

All logic shouted no. it was an incredible imitation-right down to the resolute jaw, the smoldering look in his eyes, the exact color of his hair, and, of course, the motorcycle.

所有的理智都在大聲地否定。那是不可思議的相似—絕對果敢的下顆，熱切的眼神，他的髮色，當然，還有那輛摩托車。

It couldn't be him. But my stare was locked, and I saw Mark looking so intently at me, so strangely sad.

那不可能是他。但我的視線被鎖住，我看到馬克熱烈地注視着我，異常悲傷。

I looked out the window all through lunch, expecting a motorcycle to boil into the drive with a furious Mark abroad. I expected a tongue-lashing for not even stopping to talk. Even as I expected all that, my practical mind dutifully reminded me that it could not have been my young wild-hearted love.

午飯時，我一直望向窗外，期待馬克騎着摩托車呼嘯而來。我期待他斥罵我，罵我不停下來和他說話。儘管我如此期盼，我務實的頭腦卻盡職地提醒我，那個人不可能是我那狂野的年輕愛人。

When I drove back to work, the young man and his motorcycle were gone. After work, I hurried home, thinking there might be a message from him. It didn't make sense, but I still expected it.

當我開車回去上班，那個年輕人和摩托車已不復存在。下班後，我匆忙回家，想象着會有他的消息。這純屬胡思亂想，但我仍舊盼着。

My father met me at the door with three words. "Mark is dead." I felt my legs go weak and my head began to spin.

爸爸在門口碰到我，他只說了二個字:他死J’我感到自己的雙腿發軟，天旋地轉。

"He was killed in a traffic accident." It happened that day, he said, in south Carolina.

“他死於一場車禍。”他說，就在那天，在南卡羅萊納州。

My heart broke, and my tears fell like rain on the hard concrete of the driveway.

我的心碎了，我淚如雨下，顆顆淚滴在堅硬的水泥車道上。

Because I had lost him.

因爲我已失去他。

Because I had seen him.

因爲我曾看到他。

Because I had passed him by.

因爲我和他擦肩而過。

Although Mark and my father never did reach their understanding, I now visit them in the same Cemetery in Portland-a very honorable place for two soldiers to be.

雖然馬克和爸爸從未達成他們的諒解，但現在我到同一地方看望他們。他們都安息在國立公墓—對兩位軍人來講都很榮耀。

Even rugged soldiers need flowers sometimes. So I bring them. And I remember.

即使是粗狂的軍人，有時也需要鮮花，因此我記得給他們帶來了。