美国国家公共电台 NPR--A counselor at Mississippi's only abortion clinic shares her story

A counselor¹ at Mississippi's only abortion² clinic shares her story

Transcript³

In this week's StoryCorps, a worker at Mississippi's last remaining clinic that performs abortions⁴, talks about her experiences.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Time now for StoryCorps. Seventy-four-year-old Betty Thompson is known as Miss Betty at the only remaining clinic that performs abortions in Mississippi. It's the same clinic at the center of the pending⁵ Supreme⁶ Court case that could overturn Roe⁷ vs. Wade⁸. Thompson started working there as a counselor soon after it opened in the mid-'90s. She came to StoryCorps to talk about her experience.

BETTY THOMPSON: When I was 16, I didn't tell my parents that I was pregnant. They told me. At that moment, my mom started to cry and said, girl, you're pregnant. My mouth flew open. I was devastated⁹. You know, there are times when you want the floor to swallow you up. Well, that was so past embarrassing, and nothing was swallowing me up. And then she sat me down in that chair to comb my hair, which she never combed my hair. She couldn't say it was OK, but a touch can mean so much sometimes. And I think she forgave me at that moment she touched me. I kept my son, but my mom was the main caregiver. And so because of my family, I went back to finish high school and went to college. It made me want to excel in a lot of things. However, I wish I had had the choice.

After 25 years, I retired¹⁰ from state government, and I happened to run into a friend that knew that this clinic was being opened. I suppose because of my background, I felt like I had something to give. So I jumped right in. You know, everybody can't do this work. You have to be made for it. You have to love people. So I tried to reach that teenager to let them know that it's going to be OK. And I make sure I encourage the mom or the dad that's with that teenager, you're going to get through this. You love your daughter. She needs you now more than ever. Sometimes I can see the mother look over at the daughter almost as if for the first time. It takes me back to that moment when my mom was doing my hair. We know that we are the only clinic in Mississippi, and we are needed. And that's why I'm here.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

FADEL: That's Miss Betty Thompson at StoryCorps. This interview will be archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

1 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

2 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

5 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

8 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

9 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

10 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。