万花筒 2009-12-25&12-26 圣诞节送汽油？

I still thank god I got the slow pump though.
Drivers pulling into the Citgo are about to meet Don Reed¹, a man they’ll never forget.
-Need some gas?
-Yes sir.
-You’re a lucky man. You are the last free customer. God bless you. Merry Christmas. Come up right here.
For about an hour, he pumped around 80 cars full of free gas.
-They think it's a gimmick², sometimes.
And Reed asks for nothing in return.
-Merry Christmas. Good to see you. God bless you. Pass. Pass it on to somebody else.
Dollar by dollar, it only adds to about 20 bucks³ apiece, but the smiles keep coming.
-See you. Nice holiday.
-Well, you, too.
-Thank you.
-Thank you. Merry Christmas.
-You get lucky, sir.
-What do you have to say to this guy?
-God bless him. Thank you. Merry Christmas. This is a blessing⁴.
It’s not just customers giving thanks.
-Thank you, man. Merry Christmas. 
Reed gets something out of it too.
-I receive a lot more than I give on this. I know a couple of people it really may have saved their day. Maybe a lot of them it didn’t but… if there is one or two people, then it’s been worth it.
So, why does he do it? Even he doesn’t know.
-I don’t know why. I just, it just…something told me to do it. A lot of people probably couldn't afford the gas and so it'll get them through the week. I’m very blessed with a family, employees⁵, customers, we just pass it along.
-He said I want to give away gas. At first I thought he was just joking.
When he asked the Citgo owner if he could do it last year, she didn’t believe it. But then she learned⁶ a valuable lesson.
-And after that, my thinking was changed so much. If you want to do good, then do it.
If it’s good, just do it. It’s a lesson eighty more people learned after just stopping for gas.
- All right, Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas to you. Pass along.
 

1 reed   

n.芦苇，芦丛，簧舌，簧片

参考例句：

• The river banks were overgrown with reed.河岸长满了芦苇。
• They inhabit reed huts built on stilts above the water.他们住在建于水中木桩之上的芦苇草屋里。

2 gimmick   

n.(为引人注意而搞的)小革新，小发明

参考例句：

• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。
• It is just a public relations gimmick.这只不过是一种公关伎俩。

3 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

5 employees   

n.雇工，雇员( employee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She is always polite and considerate towards her employees. 她对待雇员总是客客气气，关心体谅。
• The company has a strict dress code—all male employees are expected to wear suits. 公司有严格的着装规定—所有男职员都要穿西服。

6 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。