英语美文点亮智慧人生41：A Moment of Joy片刻的欢乐（MP3+双语字幕）

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[00:00.00]Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living.	二十年前，我以开出租车为生。
[00:08.25]It was a cowboy's life,	这是一种富有冒险精神的生活，
[00:10.27]a life for someone who wanted no boss.	适合那些不想受老板管制的人。
[00:13.12]What I didn't realize was that it was also a ministry.	开始我没有意识到它也是一种牧师职业。
[00:18.50]Because I drove the night shift,	由于我上夜班，
[00:20.30]my cab became a moving confessional.	我的出租车就成为一个流动的忏悔室。
[00:22.84]Passengers climbed in,	乘客们爬进车里，
[00:24.53]sat behind me in total anonymity,	坐在我后面，素不相识，
[00:27.52]and told me about their lives.	然后给我讲述他们的生活。
[00:29.52]I encountered people whose lives	我遇到过很多人，
[00:31.81]amazed me,	有些人的生活让我感到惊奇，
[00:32.73]ennobled me,	有些人的生活让我肃然起敬，
[00:33.79]made me laugh and weep,	有些人带给我欢笑和哭泣。
[00:35.66]but none touched me more than a woman	然而最使我感动的，
[00:38.90]I picked up late one August night.	是在八月的一个晚上乘车的一位老妇人。
[00:40.70]I was responding to a call	我正在接电话，
[00:42.89]from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town.	是从一座砖造四套公寓住宅小楼打来的。
[00:46.66]I assumed I was being sent to	我想可能是让我去那里
[00:49.69]pick up some people who had been partying,	接一些参加舞会的人，
[00:52.15]or someone who had just had a fight with a lover,	或者刚与爱人打过架的人，
[00:56.45]or a worker heading to an early shift at some factory	或者要去城镇工业区的
[01:01.50]for the industrial part of town.	某个工厂赶早班的工人。
[01:03.00]When I arrived at 2:30 a.m.,	凌晨两点半我赶到的时候，
[01:05.37]the building was dark except for a single light	楼里除了第一层窗户那儿亮着一盏孤灯外，
[01:09.34]in a ground floor window.	漆黑一片。
[01:10.96]Under these circumstances,	在这种情况下，
[01:14.19]many drivers would just honk once or twice,	很多司机都是按一两下喇叭，
[01:18.15]wait a minute, then drive away.	等一会儿，然而就开车离开了。
[01:20.90]But I had seen too many impoverished people who	但我见过太多穷困的人们，
[01:23.56]depended on taxis as their only means of transportation.	他们把出租车作为唯一的交通工具。
[01:27.61]Unless a situation smelled of danger,	除非嗅到危险的气氛，
[01:30.49]I always went to the door.	我总是走到门前。
[01:32.23]This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance,	这位乘客也许需要我的帮助，
[01:35.81]I reasoned to myself.	我为自己找理由。
[01:37.33]So I walked to the door and knocked.	于是我走到门前，敲门。
[01:39.89]"Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice.	“请等一下。”一个虚弱而苍老的声音答道。
[01:43.99]I could hear something being dragged across the floor.	我能听到在地板上拖着东西的声音，
[01:47.27]After a long pause, the door opened.	过了好一会，门开了。
[01:50.50]A small woman in her 80s stood before me.	一位80多岁的弱小老妇人站在我面前。
[01:53.20]She was wearing a print dress	她穿着印花外套，
[01:55.52]and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it,	戴着别有面纱的筒状女帽，
[01:58.76]like somebody out of a 1940's movie.	就像从20世纪40年代的电影里走出来的人。
[02:01.83]By her side was a small nylon suitcase.	她身旁是一个小型的尼龙手提箱。
[02:05.39]The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years.	这座公寓看上去很多年没人住过了，
[02:09.98]All the furniture was covered with sheets.	所有的家具都用帆布蒙着，
[02:12.75]There were no clocks on the walls,	墙上没有挂钟，
[02:15.70]no knickknacks or utensils on the counters.	柜台上也没有任何装饰物或家用器具。
[02:17.68]In the comer was a cardboard box	墙角放着一个纸箱，
[02:20.30]filled with photos and glassware.	里面堆满了照片和玻璃器皿。
[02:22.88]"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said.	“你能帮我把包拿到车上吗？”她说。
[02:26.44]I took the suitcase to the cab,	我把箱子放到车上，
[02:29.39]then returned to assist the woman.	又回来搀扶老妇人。
[02:32.38]She took my arm	她挽住我的胳膊，
[02:33.57]and we walked slowly toward the cab.	我们慢慢走到车旁。
[02:36.14]She kept thanking me for my kindness.	她不停地感谢我的好心。
[02:39.22]"It's nothing," I told her.	“没什么，”我对她说，
[02:41.19]"I just try to treat my passengers the way	“我想要别人这样对待我的母亲，
[02:44.11]I would want my mother treated."	我就得尽力这样对待我的乘客。”
[02:46.25]"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said.	“哦，你真是个好孩子。”她说。
[02:48.86]When we got in the cab,	当我们坐进车里时，
[02:50.54]she gave me an address,	她递给我一个地址，
[02:52.11]then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"	然后又问道：“你能从城镇中心穿过去吗？”
[02:55.24]"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.	“那不是最近的路。”我很快回答。
[02:58.65]"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry.	“哦，没关系，”她说，“我不急着赶路，
[03:02.40]I'm on my way to a hospice."	我就要去临终关怀医院了。”
[03:05.68]I looked in the rear view mirror.	我从后视镜看了看，
[03:08.91]Her eyes were glistening.	她的眼睛闪着光。
[03:10.63]"I don't have any family left," she continued.	她继续说着：“我没有任何家人了，
[03:13.86]"he doctor says I don't have..."	医生说我没有…”
[03:16.30]I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.	我轻轻地伸手关掉了计量表。
[03:20.23]"What route would you like me to take?" I asked.	“您想让我走哪条路线？”我问。
[03:24.70]For the next two hours,	接下来的两个小时，
[03:25.72]we drove through the city.	我们开车穿过了整个城市。
[03:27.56]She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.	她指给我看当年她做电梯操作的那座大厦，
[03:32.25]We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds.	她和她的丈夫当年新婚时生活过的小区，
[03:38.66]She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that	她让我在一家家具商店前面停车，
[03:43.70]had once been a ballroom where	那儿以前是个舞厅，
[03:45.83]she had gone dancing as a girl.	她还是个小姑娘时常去那儿跳舞。
[03:47.99]Sometimes she'd ask me to slow	有时经过一个特殊的大楼
[03:50.65]in front of a particular building	或角落时她会让我放慢车速，
[03:53.80]or corner and would sit staring into the darkness,	她会坐在那里注视着夜空，
[03:57.01]saying nothing.	默默无语。
[03:58.71]As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon,	当第一缕阳光打破了地平线，
[04:02.70]she suddenly said, "I'm tired.	她突然说：“我累了，
[04:04.95]Let's go now."	咱们现在就走吧。”
[04:06.21]We drove in silence to the address she had given me.	我们默默地驱车向她给我的那个地址驶去。
[04:10.17]It was a low building,	那是一座低矮的楼房，
[04:11.88]like a small convalescent home,	就像一个小疗养院，
[04:14.85]with a driveway that passed under a portico.	在门廊的下面有一条车道。
[04:18.58]Two orderlies came out to the cab	我们刚停车，
[04:22.46]as soon as we pulled up.	就有两个护理员出来向我们走来。
[04:23.97]They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.	她们关切而热心地注视着她的一举一动，
[04:28.30]They must have been expecting her.	看样子一定是在等着她的到来。
[04:30.74]I opened the trunk	我打开车尾的行李箱，
[04:32.61]and took the small suitcase to the door.	把她的小型手提箱提到门口。
[04:34.90]The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.	老妇人已经坐进轮椅里，
[04:37.97]"How much do I owe you?"	“我该给你多少钱？”
[04:39.52]she asked, reaching into her purse.	她边说边把手伸进钱包。
[04:41.70]"Nothing," I said.	“不用了，”我说。
[04:43.14]"You have to make a living," she answered.	“你得谋生呢，”她说。
[04:45.45]"There are other passengers," I responded.	“还有其他的乘客，”我回答。
[04:48.94]Almost without thinking,	几乎想也没想，
[04:51.90]I bent and gave her a hug.	我弯下腰拥抱了她一下。
[04:53.39]She held onto me tightly.	她也紧紧地抱着我。
[04:55.41]"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said.	“你给了一个老妇人片刻的欢乐，”她说，
[04:59.88]"Thank you."	“谢谢你。”
[05:00.97]I squeezed her hand,	我紧紧地握了握她的手，
[05:02.91]then walked into the dim morning light.	便走进了微弱的晨光中。
[05:05.83]Behind me, a door shut.	门在我身后关上了。
[05:07.69]It was the sound of the closing of a life.	这也是生命关闭的声音。
[05:10.78]I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift.	那晚我没有拉其他的乘客。
[05:13.81]I drove aimlessly, lost in thought.	我漫无方向地开着车，陷入沉思中。
[05:16.81]For the rest of that day,	那天其余的时间，
[05:18.31]I could hardly talk.	我几乎说不出话。
[05:19.96]What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,	如果那位老妇人碰到一位狂暴的司机，
[05:23.39]or one who was impatient at the end his shift?	或者急着结束晚班的司机，会怎样呢？
[05:27.77]What if I had refused to take the run,	如果我拒绝跑这趟车，
[05:30.44]or had honked once,	或者只是按一声喇叭，便开车离开，
[05:32.78]then driven away? On a quick review,	那又会怎么样呢？匆忙回顾了一下，
[05:35.40]I don't think that I have done anything	我认为我做了一件生命中
[05:37.87]more important in my life.	再重要不过的事情。
[05:39.84]We're conditioned to think	我们习惯性地认为我们的生命中
[05:43.29]that our lives revolve around great moments.	有一些重大的时刻，
[05:45.96]But great moments often	然而重大的时刻往往在不经意时
[05:47.71]catch us unaware--	降临到我们身上――
[05:49.37]beautifully wrapped in what others	也许在别人眼中是小事，
[05:51.37]may consider a small one.	但它有着美丽的包装。
[05:53.40]People may not remember exactly what you did,	人们可能不会完全记住你所做的事，
[05:56.30]or what you said,	或者你所说的话…
[05:57.81]but they will always remember how you made them feel.	但他们却会永远记住你带给他们的感觉。
[06:01.36]Take a moment to	花上片刻的时间，
[06:02.85]stop and appreciate the memories you have made,	停下脚步欣赏一下你的回忆，
[06:05.54]the memory making opportunities around you	那些为周围的人创造了机会的回忆，
[06:08.84]and make someone feel special today.	那些使他人今天仍然感觉特别的回忆。

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英语美文点亮智慧人生41：A Moment of Joy片刻的欢乐（MP3+双语字幕）