2007年NPR美国国家公共电台六月-The Day Bonnie and Clyde Came Calling

Time now for StoryCorps when everyday American share stories about their lives. Today, Trudy Henry, 89 years old, records her bush with history. You need to know that she grew up on the outskirts¹ of Dodge² City, Kansas, and that her Mom worked at the courthouse to support her children. Here now is Trudy Henry's recollection of the day in 1933 when two unexpected visitors showed up at her family home.

A car drove up late evening, kind of a boxy looking car. A man and a woman were in the front seat. My sister and I were sitting on the porch. The driver got out, kind of surveyed the area around and came up towards the porch and the woman got out, too. She leaned against the car, crossed her ankles and stood there while this man came to the front door. Mother answered and he asked if she was Mrs. Connaway. She said she was. He told her he was interested in some property and would like to see the deeds register's books.
And she said: My goodness! I certainly can't do that now. Because it's late in the evening, so I would be glad to see you at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Well, while that conversation was going on, the woman standing³ next to the car, whipped herself out a cigar, and lit it up, and began smoking it. My sister and I were just appalled⁴ at such a thing going on. The man thanked mother and started to walk from the porch and he turned around and said: May I have a drink of water? And mother said " Yes, of course." And he followed her in the house. Well, my sister and I being curious bounced along and into the kitchen, to see if he was going to get his water. And he did. I do not recall that he glanced around, or took in a lot of things that were there. But as I grew to an adult, I felt like probably he was looking to see if there were man present and if there were guns. But anyway he did thank her and he left.

He did not show up the next morning at the courthouse. And about three or four days later, in the daily paper, there was quite a stir and an article about a couple who had stolen a car from a rancher and wrecked⁵ it. Later, a story in the Daily Globe, stated that was Clyde Barrow, and the woman with him was Bonnie Parker. So when their pictures came out, we knew immediately they were the people who had visited us at our house. So we really felt like we were something getting to see Bonnie and Clyde.

Trudy Henry at StoryCorps in garden city Kansas. This interview like all the others is archived at the Library of Congress. You can learn how to tell your story or subscribe⁶ to the StoryCorps podcast at NPR.org

1 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

2 dodge   

v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计

参考例句：

• A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪，才没被车从身上辗过。
• The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 appalled   

v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

6 subscribe   

vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助

参考例句：

• I heartily subscribe to that sentiment.我十分赞同那个观点。
• The magazine is trying to get more readers to subscribe.该杂志正大力发展新订户。