2007年NPR美国国家公共电台三月-Speak, Pancakes: The Language of Love

Time again for StoryCorps, this oral history project collects interviews between everyday people talking about their lives. Today, a husband and a wife remember how they met. He was from Slovakia, she was from Wisconsin. A job brought them together.

I got this job at the Paul Bunyan restaurant as a cook. In the same year, Carol picked the same place for her summer job as a waitress.

When I saw Thomas, he was on my interview. He was sorting silverware in the kitchen.

She got my eye and I got immediately interested in her. But she thought that I have some mental disorder¹.

He just kept staring at me all the time and never saying anything.

My English was not good.

I just thought he was a little bit odd. And I kind of felt sorry for him. And one day I went to pick up my pancakes, and it was Thomas's job to make the pancakes every morning. So I went to pick up my platter and all the pancakes were in the shape of hearts. So, then I knew something was really up.

Right.

Our first date. I decided² to take him to a concert down the square where the Wisconsin Chamber³ Orchestra⁴ was playing. At one point the mood turned really romantic and he turned to me and he said,

"I'm sick of you."

And I said , what?

Basically, what I translated from Slovak language, that's how we say I'm love sick. But you know, it turned out a little different, so,

I heard, I'm sick of you.

Reading her facial expression, I realized that it probably doesn't mean the same thing.

I decided to give him a second chance anyway.

Well, our wedding day, actually, was exactly 3 years later.

Thomas's parents came from Slovakia. You know, his parents couldn't understand English. So we decided to say our vows⁵ in English and in Slovak. So the day came and I said my vows in English and it came to the part in Slovak and I said: ‘ I , Carol, take you ,Thomas , to be my wife. ’ Tomas cracked a little smile.

In Slovak, husband and wife is a very similar word.

Till this day, we still tease⁶ each other that Thomas is my wife.

It's kind of another thing to laugh about now.

Thomas Kubrican with his wife, Carol Mittsteadt, they recorded their conversation at a new StoryCorps Booth in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This interview and all StoryCorps interviews will be archived at the American Folklife Center at the library of Congress. To hear more, go to npr.org

1 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

5 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

6 tease   

vt.戏弄，取笑，挑逗，撩拨；n.戏弄人者

参考例句：

• The other boys tease him because he is fat.因为他很胖，所以其他男生都取笑他。
• His friends used to tease him about his tatty clothes.他的朋友过去常常笑话他破旧的衣服。