英语美文：My Friendship with John Cheever

 我与约翰·契弗的友谊 My Friendship with John Cheever ：In a California bookstore recently, I saw a copy of The Short Stories of John Cheever, my all-time favorite collection of short fiction. On the table near it was a book that I wrote called James Dean Died Here. Light years apart in terms of impact and importance, still, seeing the two books near each other gave me a special feeling; a deep connection to a past chapter in my life.

It was 1975 up in Westchester County, New York, in a town called Ossining. Ossining's original name, "Sing Sing," was named after the Native American Sinck Sinck tribe from whom the land was purchased in 1685. As you might know, Sing Sing is also the name of the famed local prison. We lived in the rural part of town, in the forest on a winding², idyllic³ country lane called Spring Valley Road. (Other roads in the area were Hawks⁴ Lane, Apple Bee Farms Road, Cedar⁵ Lane... you get the picture.)

I was about 13 years old and had decided⁶ that I wanted to be a writer (especially if the baseball player thing didn't work out). When I announced this to my parents, my mom suggested I write a neighbor of ours to see if he might be able to supply some professional guidance. His name was John Cheever, and all I knew of him was that my parents loved his writing and several of his books were on the shelves in our living room library (The Wapshot Chronicle is the one that jumps out in my mind). My mom's idea seemed reasonable enough so I wrote Mr. Cheever a short note asking if I might be able to ask him a few questions some day. Just a couple of days later, the following letter arrived at our house:

Dear Chris Epting:

It is nice to know that there is another writer living in the neighborhood. I will call you one day soon and then maybe we can take a walk and talk about writing.

(signed)John Cheever

And the very next day, he called my house. "Yes, Chris..." a rich New England-accented voice began, "this is John Cheever." What a unique way to be introduced to one of the greatest fiction writers in American literary history.

Armed with a few school writing samples, I went to his house the next day and spent several hours there. I listened to him, I asked questions, I watched him smoke tons of filterless cigarettes, I drank Coke and I listened to his Beatles records with him. But then it was time for Little League practice. But it was okay. I'd be back many other times in the next several years to talk about writing.

John Cheever became a mentor⁸ to me until his death in 1982. He'd review my work, (scribbling copious⁹ notes in red felt tip marker across my pages), take the occasional walk with me and once even personally called a professor at my college to recommend me for a much-in-demand writing course. Naturally the call helped secure my place in the class (it had been his idea to call after I described the situation) and it wasn't until later in life that I could appreciate the absurdity¹⁰ of the moment: a pompous¹¹ college English professor with his own dreams of becoming a great American novelist getting a call from one of the true Lions of American fiction to vouch¹² for student.

John Cheever lived in Ossining from 1951 until the time of his death. Over the years, the Quincy, Massachusetts native became iconic in his adopted city. He taught at Sing Sing prison, was part of a regular salon-style dinner group for years and even did readings at the local public library. Cheever was such a regular at the Highland¹³ Diner that his photo hung there, shrine-like for years after his death. He was everywhere, and he was nowhere; seen all over town but just as happy in his beautiful colonial home on Cedar Lane with his lovely wife Mary.

Once I'd known him for a couple of years, it finally hit me who he was - and what he represented to people. I was in the supermarket with my mom and at the checkout¹⁴ stand, there was that elegant, weathered face, on the cover of Newsweek magazine (after he'd won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, Falconer). I was seeing Cheever later that day so I brought the copy with me. In his office, I showed it to him. He just nodded and I asked him something. I explained to him that when I first visited, I was not familiar with him. But now, over time, and especially with this magazine, it was clear to me he was very important. So I wanted to know: why grant me, a kid in the neighborhood, all of this precious time?

He laughed a little at that and explained that since his drinking problems in the last few years, he had looked for therapeutic¹⁵ outlets¹⁶ that might help him focus - and that helping¹⁷ a young writer was almost like medicine. (I learned later that he was completely dry the last seven years of his life - and those were the years I knew him). In addition to visiting at his home, I called him from college to chat from time to time. I'd bump into him taking long walks down Spring Valley Road on lazy summer days (or riding his beloved bicycle) and he'd always stop to talk and catch up.

I spoke¹⁸ to John Cheever less than two weeks before he died. I was away at school and while I knew he was ill with cancer, I didn't know just how sick he was. There was an article I wanted to write about him and on the phone, in a ravaged¹⁹ voice, he told me as soon as he was feeling better we could talk more about it. Then I turned on the news one morning soon after and saw he was gone.

But as I've learned since, he's still here - as all the greats remain. His stories continue to charm and captivate new readers every day. At the beautiful new Ossining Public Library at 53 Croton Avenue (next door to the former library site that Cheever would visit) Ossining's "Chekhov of the Suburbs" is immortalized - the main reading room in the library is named for him (and Jane Clark, a longtime library staffer and friend of Mr. Cheever proudly keeps his legacy²⁰ alive with photos, letters and wonderful personal stories about him). 

In his lifetime, Cheever won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Medal for Literature. His short stories and novels, including The Wapshot Chronicle, The Wapshot Scandal, Bullet Park, and Falconer (inspired by writing classes he taught at Sing Sing) remain vital examples of some of the world's best 20th century fiction.

If you ever get the chance to visit Ossining, wherever you are in the village, know that he was probably right nearby at some point. If you make your way to the serene²¹ Teatown Lake near his home, be aware that he paused there along the road by the water more than once to sit by the rocks and talk to this young writer about craft and critique, while also mixing in a fair amount of baseball chatter²² (I still recommend to friends John Updike's piece describing Ted⁷ Williams's last at bat because Cheever told me about it, on Spring Valley Road - after I told him we'd lost our all star game earlier that day). Further on down the woodsy road, at the Teatown Lake Reservation, the ancient stone walls where Cheever would stop and rest are still there and everything remains²³ as it was when he was here - exactly as I remember it as a teenager.

There's still a diner at 191 N. Highland Avenue where Cheever could frequently be found. As the local library recounts:

Cheever was a regular at the Highland Diner where he'd arrive with a book or newspaper and look around for someone to talk to... He knew and was liked by so many people in the town that his family used to call him the 'Mayor of Ossining.' He never ran for office, of course, but there was an abortive²⁴ movement in the wake of the Pulitzer to name a street after him. Cheever was pleased and self-deprecatory about this at the same time. He and Mary and the children sat around the dinner table thinking of what else might be named after him. 'Let's see,' he proposed, 'how about the John Cheever Memorial Dump?'

And Sing Sing Prison, where many a con¹ was sent "Up the River" (the expression refers to the Hudson River on which the prison sits) is still in business. Located at 95 Broadway, today there's even a prison museum on site (a safe distance from the criminals). This may be the most telling Cheever-related landmark²⁵ in Ossining. While recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction²⁶ in the mid-1970s, Cheever wrote Falconer by specifically drawing on his experience as a writing instructor²⁷ here. This was a breakthrough book for Cheever, and so one must consider the influence the prison had in helping to re-establish Cheever's force as a writer.

He taught here, and obviously, he learned here, too.

Back in the bookstore in California, I look down at John Cheever's face on the cover of his book. I can hear his voice and I can see him lighting²⁸ up another cigarette and asking me, "Did you see me on Dick Cavett with John Updike? What did you think? Is that something teenagers watch these days?"

I placed his book back down on the table, but I moved it right next to mine - connecting us one more time.

Recently, I drove once more past the Cheever's house on Cedar Lane near Route 9A. Out on the road in front of their property, the old gray metal mailbox I remembered with the name Cheever hand-lettered in black paint had been updated. Peeking²⁹ down the driveway and looking at the house set back against the woods, I could picture him getting into his red Volkswagen Rabbit to drive me home after that first visit. Then I thought back to what he told me at that meeting:

"Keep a journal, start today and don't stop. It forces you to write and that's good. Writers write, they don't talk about writing and a journal strengthens the muscle. So go. Write."

I thought to myself, how lucky I was to have known someone so gifted and inspirational, someone who took the time to share some stories and advice - someone who gave some critique and company to, as he put it, "another writer living in the neighborhood."

1 con   

n.反对的观点，反对者，反对票，肺病；vt.精读，学习，默记；adv.反对地，从反面；adj.欺诈的

参考例句：

• We must be fair and consider the reason pro and con.我们必须公平考虑赞成和反对的理由。
• The motion is adopted non con.因无人投反对票，协议被通过。

2 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

3 idyllic   

adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的

参考例句：

• These scenes had an idyllic air.这种情景多少有点田园气氛。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

4 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

5 cedar   

n.雪松，香柏(木)

参考例句：

• The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
• She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。

6 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。

7 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

8 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

9 copious   

adj.丰富的，大量的

参考例句：

• She supports her theory with copious evidences.她以大量的例证来充实自己的理论。
• Every star is a copious source of neutrinos.每颗恒星都是丰富的中微子源。

10 absurdity   

n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论

参考例句：

• The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。
• The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。

11 pompous   

adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.他有点自大，自视甚高。
• He is a good man underneath his pompous appearance. 他的外表虽傲慢，其实是个好人。

12 vouch   

v.担保；断定；n.被担保者

参考例句：

• They asked whether I was prepared to vouch for him.他们问我是否愿意为他作担保。
• I can vouch for the fact that he is a good worker.我保证他是好员工。

13 highland   

n.(pl.)高地，山地

参考例句：

• The highland game is part of Scotland's cultural heritage.苏格兰高地游戏是苏格兰文化遗产的一部分。
• The highland forests where few hunters venture have long been the bear's sanctuary.这片只有少数猎人涉险的高山森林，一直都是黑熊的避难所。

14 checkout   

n.（超市等）收银台，付款处

参考例句：

• Could you pay at the checkout.你能在结帐处付款吗。
• A man was wheeling his shopping trolley to the checkout.一个男人正推着购物车向付款台走去。

15 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

16 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

18 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

19 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

20 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

21 serene   

adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的

参考例句：

• He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
• He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。

22 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

23 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

24 abortive   

adj.不成功的，发育不全的

参考例句：

• We had to abandon our abortive attempts.我们的尝试没有成功，不得不放弃。
• Somehow the whole abortive affair got into the FBI files.这件早已夭折的案子不知怎么就进了联邦调查局的档案。

25 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

26 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

27 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

28 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

29 peeking   

v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出

参考例句：

• I couldn't resist peeking in the drawer. 我不由得偷看了一下抽屉里面。
• They caught him peeking in through the keyhole. 他们发现他从钥匙孔里向里窥视。 来自辞典例句