美国国家公共电台 NPR--'I'm going to die in these shoes.' Ga. woman loves shoes — despite polio's effects

'I'm going to die in these shoes.' Ga. woman loves shoes — despite polio's effects

Transcript¹

Shirley Duhart was two years old when she got polio in 1950. She talks to her doctor, Dale Strausserher, about her love of shoes. Though she struggled to walk, shoes became very important to her.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

It's Friday. And here on MORNING EDITION, that means it's time for StoryCorps. In 1950, Shirley Duhart got polio. She was only 2 years old at the time. And although she struggled to walk, shoes became very important to her. She came to StoryCorps with Dale Strasser, her doctor for the past three decades.

SHIRLEY DUHART: I was raised in extreme poverty in Vine City, Ga., and it was a segregated² area at the time. But even though my mother worked long hours, the neighbors were very caring and looked out for us. And you dare not create a problem because you knew you were going to have to answer for it when your mother came home. But I think a lot of that also drove my independence...

DALE STRASSER: Yeah.

DUHART: ...To try to be as little of a problem as I could be. One day I was in the backyard playing. And all of a sudden, I said, mama. Mama, I can't walk. They realized it was polio, and she was very fearful because that was the pandemic of the time. When I was young, a little girl, I had the full-length iron brace³, and I wore the high-top oxfords.

STRASSER: And those aren't real stylish⁴ shoes.

DUHART: Those are not stylish at all. They looked like military boots, almost. Then slowly, I improved some. And when I was in the eighth grade, we bought some little pumps. A lot of the neighbors came out on the porch⁵ - said, oh, Shirley got on some dress shoes. It was kind of like a big event because that was a close neighborhood.

STRASSER: And how did that make you feel?

DUHART: It made me feel that I had a little bit of control over my situation, considering I couldn't control the fact that I did have that disease.

STRASSER: I do remember from our very first encounter, I suggested in a diplomatic⁶ manner that you really ought to consider some other shoes that would provide a little more balance. Well, I heard in no uncertain terms that those shoes were not going to be changed.

DUHART: And you heard me, and you're probably my longest physician that I've had. I wanted people to see more than just my disability.

STRASSER: Right.

DUHART: I wanted them to see a whole person and a stylish person, a person with a happy spirit. You know, I thought that we were all architects of our own life, and all you need to do is just make up your mind and go for it. But since maybe 20 years ago, I'm not as mobile, and all those cute, little shoes don't fit quite as well as they had before.

STRASSER: But I know your personality. You're going to remain in charge.

DUHART: Oh, yes. That's the way I am. Don't let anybody else define⁷ you. Define yourself. And you know, I'm 74, but I hope to live to be 95. And I'm going to die in these shoes.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MARTIN: That's Shirley Duhart and Dale Strasser in Atlanta. Their StoryCorps interview is archived in the Library of Congress.

1 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。

2 segregated   

分开的； 被隔离的

参考例句：

• a culture in which women are segregated from men 妇女受到隔离歧视的文化
• The doctor segregated the child sick with scarlet fever. 大夫把患猩红热的孩子隔离起来。

3 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

4 stylish   

adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的

参考例句：

• He's a stylish dresser.他是个穿着很有格调的人。
• What stylish women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world.巴黎女性时装往往会引导世界时装潮流。

5 porch   

n.门廊，入口处，走廊，游廊

参考例句：

• There are thousands of pages of advertising on our porch.有成千上万页广告堆在我们的门廊上。
• The porch is supported by six immense pillars.门廊由六根大柱子支撑着。

6 diplomatic   

adj.外交的，从事外交的，策略的，有手腕的

参考例句：

• There are certain forms that must be followed in diplomatic circles.在外交界有一些礼节是必须遵守的。
• You must be more diplomatic in handling the situation.你在处理这一情况时，必须圆滑。

7 define   

vt.解释，下定义，阐述，限定，规定

参考例句：

• Please define the words.请解释这些字的意义。
• It's hard to define exactly what has changed.很难解释清楚到底发生了什么变化。