双语有声阅读：特殊的场合

A Special Occasion

 

 

My brother－in－law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue－wrapped package．“This，”he said，“is not a slip．This is lingerie1)．”He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip．

 

It was exquisite，silk，handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace．The price tag with an astronomical¹ figure on it was still attached．

 

“Jan bought this the first time we went to New York，at least ８or９years ago．She never wore it．She was saving it for a special occasion．”

 

Well，I guess this is the occasion．

 

He took the slip from me and put it on the bed，with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician2)．His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment，then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me．“Don't ever save anything for a special occasion．Every day you're alive is a special occasion．”

 

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death．I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives．I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done．I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special．

 

I'm still thinking about his words，and they've changed the weeds in the garden．I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings．Whenever possible，life should be a pattern of experience to savour3)，not endure．I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them．

 

I'm not “saving” anything；we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound，getting the sink unstopped，the first camellia4) blossom．．．I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it．My theory is if I look prosperous，I can shell out5) ＄２８.４９for one small bag of groceries without wincing²．I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties；clerks in hardware stores and tellers³ in banks have noses that function as well as my party going friends．

 

“Someday” and “one of these days” are losing their grip6) on my vocabulary．If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing，I want to see and hear and do it now．I'm not sure what my sister would've done had she know that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted．

 

I think she would have called family members and a few close friends．She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles7). I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner，her favorite food．I'm guessing．I'll never know．

 

It's those little things left undone⁴ that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited．Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday．Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days．Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them．

 

I'm trying very hard not to put off，hold back，or save anything that would add laughter and lustre8) to our lives．

 

And every morning when I open my eyes，I tell myself that every day，every minute，every breath truly，is．．．a gift from God．

 

特殊的场合

 

 

妹夫打开了妹妹衣柜最底层抽屉，拿出一个用薄纸裹着的小包。“这个，”他说，“不是衬裙，是件内衣。

 

”他把薄纸去掉，递给了我那件内衣。它很精致、丝质、手工缝制，周围有一圈密密的花边。上面还有价签，价签上的数字高得惊人。

 

“这是我们第一次去纽约时简买的，至少已是八、九年前的事了。她从没有穿过它。她在为一个特殊的场合珍藏着它。

 

”唉，我想现在便是那特殊的场合了。

 

妹夫从我手中拿过内衣放在床上，和其他我们要带给殡仪人员的衣服放在一起。他的手在那柔软的丝织品上抚摸了一会儿，随即砰然关上抽屉，转身对我说：“不要把任何东西留给什么特殊场合。每天你活着就是一个特殊的场合。”

 

1 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

2 wincing   

赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She switched on the light, wincing at the sudden brightness. 她打开了灯，突如其来的强烈光线刺得她不敢睜眼。
• "I will take anything," he said, relieved, and wincing under reproof. “我什么事都愿意做，"他说，松了一口气，缩着头等着挨骂。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

3 tellers   

n.（银行）出纳员( teller的名词复数 )；（投票时的）计票员；讲故事等的人；讲述者

参考例句：

• The tellers were calculating the votes. 计票员正在统计票数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The use of automatic tellers is particularly used in large cities. 在大城市里，还特别投入了自动出纳机。 来自辞典例句

4 undone   

a.未做完的，未完成的

参考例句：

• He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。