英语沙龙：圣诞老人：一个真实的故事

Santa Claus: The True Story

I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma．I was just a kid．I remember tearing1) across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb：“There is no Santa Claus，”she jeered¹．“ Even dummies2) know that.”

My grandma was not the gushy3) kind，never had been．I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me．I knew Grandma always told the truth，and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world－famous cinnamon4) buns．

Grandma was home，and the buns were still warm．Between bites，I told her everything．She was ready for me．“No Santa Claus．”She snorted．“Ridiculous5). Don't believe it．That rumor6) has been going around for years，and it makes me mad，plain mad．Now，put on your coat，and let's go．”

“Go？Go where，Grandma？”I asked．I hadn't even finished my second cinnamon bun．

“Where” turned out to be Kerby's General Store，the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything．As we walked through its doors，Grandma handed me ten dollars．That was a bundle² in those days．“Take this money and buy something for someone who needs it．I'll wait for you in the car” Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's．

I was only eight years old．I'd often gone shopping with my mother，but never had I shopped for anything all by myself．The store seemed big and crowded，full of people scrambling⁴ to finish their Christmas shopping．For a few moments I just stood there，confused，clutching that ten－dollar bill，wondering what to buy，and who on earth to buy it for．

I thought of everybody I knew：my family，my friends，my neighbors，the kids at school，and the people who went to my church．I was just about thought out，when I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker．He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair，and he sat right behind me in Mrs．Pollack's second grade class．

Bobbie Decker didn't have a coat．I knew that because he never went out for recess⁵ during the winter．His mother always wrote a note，telling the teacher that he had a cough，but all we kids knew that Bobbie Decker didn't have a cough，and he didn't have a coat．I fingered the ten－dollar bill with growing excitement．I would buy Bobbie Decker a coat．I settled on7) a red corduroy8) one that had a hood⁶ to it．It looked real warm，and he would like that．

“Is this a Christmas present for someone？” the lady behind the counter asked me kindly，as I laid my ten dollars down．

“Yes，”I replied shyly．“It's．．．for Bobbie.”

The nice lady smiled at me．I didn't get any change，but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas．

That evening，Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons，and write，“To Bobbie，From Santa Claus” on it．Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy⁷．Then she drove me over to Bobbie Decker's house，explaining as we went that I was now forever officially one of Santa's helps．

Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house，and she and I crept⁸ noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk．Then Grandma gave me a nudge9)．“ All right，Santa Claus，”she whispered，“get going．”

I took a deep breath，dashed for his front door，threw the present down on his step，pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma．Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open．Finally it did，and there stood Bobbie．

Forty years haven't dimmed⁹ the thrill of those moments spent shivering，beside my grandma，in Bobbie Decker's bushes．That night，I realized that t hose³ awful rumors¹⁰ about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were：ridiculous．Santa was alive and well，and we were on his team．

圣诞老人：一个真实的故事

我记得小时候和奶奶一起过的第一次圣诞晚会。我当时还只是个孩子。我记得姐姐嘲弄的话好似晴空霹雳：“根本没有圣诞老人，连傻子都知道。”我哪里受得了这个，马上骑上自行车穿过镇上的街道直奔奶奶家。

奶奶不是个浮夸鼓噪的人，从不夸夸其谈。我找她因为我知道她肯定会告诉我真相。我知道奶奶讲的总是真的；而且，吃着奶奶那举世闻名的桂皮面包，她讲的话就更加中听了。

奶奶在家。她的桂皮面包才出炉不久。我一边嚼着面包，一边把姐姐的话告诉她。她对此早有准备，大声大气地说：“没有圣诞老人。简直胡说八道。你可别信那些。这个谣言散布了好些年了，真让我上火。来，把外套穿上，咱们走。”

“走？上哪儿呀，奶奶？”我问道。我还没吃完第二个桂皮面包呢。

那个“哪儿”原来是克比百货店，镇上惟一的百货店。进了门，奶奶递给我１０块钱。那个时候１０块钱可值钱呐。“买些东西给需要的人。我在车里等你。”她转身就出了店门。

我那时只有８岁。虽然常跟着妈妈逛商店，可从来没自个儿买过东西。那个又大又挤的商店塞满了为圣诞节购物的人。我捏着那张钞票，呆立了好一会儿，茫然不知该买什么，究竟买给谁。

我在脑里搜寻着每一个认得的人：家人、朋友、邻居、同学、教友。所有的人都快想了个遍，忽地想起了博比·德克尔。他有口臭和一头乱发。我们都在波拉克夫人教的二年级班上。他坐我后面。

我知道博比·德克尔没有大衣，因为他在冬天课间休息时从来也没出过教室。他母亲总是写条子给老师说他咳嗽。但我们都知道他不是咳嗽，而是没大衣。摸弄着那１０块钱，我越想越兴奋，我要为博比·德克尔买一件大衣。我看准一件红色灯芯绒带帽子的，看起来真暖和。博比会喜欢的。

“是送别人的圣诞礼物吗？”当我把１０块钱放在柜台上的时候，女店员很亲切地问道。

“是的，”我难为情地答道。“是给博比的。”

她对着我笑了。我以为她会找钱给我，但她没有，而是把大衣装进袋子里并祝我圣诞快乐。

那天晚上，奶奶帮我用彩纸和缎带把大衣包装起来，并题上了字：“给博比，圣诞老人赠。”奶奶说圣诞老人总坚持送礼得秘密进行。然后在开车送我去博比家的路上，她告诉我今后我将永远正式成为圣诞老人的助手之一了。

奶奶把车停在离博比家不远处的街边。我们悄悄地挨近他家，躲在房前过道的矮树丛里。奶奶轻轻用肘推了我一下。“好了，圣诞老人，”她低声地说，“开始行动。”

我深深吸了口气，冲到前门口，把礼物扔在门阶上，使劲按门铃，再飞奔回树丛里，和奶奶一块儿躲着。我们在黑暗中屏息等待前门开启。门终于开了，博比出现在门口。

４０年光阴未曾减弱我在博比·德克尔家前的矮树丛中挨着奶奶颤抖时所感受到的激动。就在那天晚上，我认识到，那些有关圣诞老人的恶劣谣传，正如奶奶所说，全是“胡说八道”。圣诞老人活得好好的，而我们都是他的好帮手。

1 jeered   

v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The police were jeered at by the waiting crowd. 警察受到在等待的人群的嘲弄。
• The crowd jeered when the boxer was knocked down. 当那个拳击手被打倒时，人们开始嘲笑他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 bundle   

n.捆，包，束；一堆，一批；v.把…扎成一捆

参考例句：

• My uncle sent me a large bundle on my birthday.我生日时叔父给我寄来一个大包裹。
• Dad found a bundle of spelling mistakes in my composition.爸爸在我作文里找出一大堆拼写错误。

3 hose   

n.输水软管，长统袜；vt.浇园子，用管冲洗

参考例句：

• Connect the hose to the tap and turn on the tap.把水管接在龙头上，打开水龙头。
• After raining,I always hose the yard out.雨后，我总是用软管把院子冲干净。

4 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

6 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

7 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

8 crept   

v.蹑手蹑足地走( creep的过去式和过去分词 )；缓慢地行进；爬行；匍匐

参考例句：

• I crept up the stairs, trying not to wake my parents. 为了尽量不吵醒父母，我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。
• He had crept up on his unsuspecting victim from behind. 他从背后悄悄逼近了那毫无戒备的受害者。

9 dimmed   

adj.暗淡的，无效的v.（使）变暗淡( dim的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）变模糊；（使）减弱；变淡漠

参考例句：

• The lights were dimmed out when the electricity supply was reduced. 电力供应被削减后，灯火就变得弱了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The moon was dimmed by clouds and the stars were darkened. 月色朦胧，星辰昏暗。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》