The Difference a Hello from a Stranger Can Make
一个陌生人的问候所带给我的
—By Deborah Rogers
张辉 译
It was 8:00 AM. I took the same route to work each day, seeing the same places and familiar faces. I walked by the bus terminal and saw the busload of business people coming from the northern suburbs, hustling1 onto the escalators and dispersing through-out downtown to the many buildings and offices. I walked by the muffin2 shop, where there was always a line for muffins and coffee. I saw people dropping off their laundry at the dry cleaners, and the line at the Star-bucks.
每天早晨八点我都会沿同一条线路去上班，路过同样的地方，看着一张张熟悉的面孔。我走过公交车终点站，看着车内从北部城郊来的上班族们挤上电动扶梯，然后消失在市区内的各个办公大楼中；我走过松饼屋，那里总是有排着队等候买松饼和咖啡的人们；我看着在干洗店放下待洗衣服的人们和在星巴克前排队的人们。
I walked through Marshal Field’s, and passed by the security guard stationed in front of the men’s shirt shop, dressed in the standard uniform. He was a tall, slender attractive African-American with a mustache and dimples3. The security guard greeted everyone that walked by. He made small talks with many of the passers-by, complimenting their outfits, and wishing them well.
我穿过马歇尔·菲尔德百货商场，走过那个站在男衫店前身着标准制服的保安。他是个高高瘦瘦很迷人的非裔美国人，嘴唇上留着小胡子，嘴角有着两个酒窝。这个保安向路过的每个人问好，还会和很多人小聊几句，称赞一下他们的行头，或是希望他们一天顺利。
His simple "hello" made people feel special. He was more than a security guard; he was a staple of the morning rush. His presence and cheerful smile became a part of my day. When he was absent, many people noticed it, and I felt a little bit empty.
他简单的问候让每个人都感到自己很特别。他远非一个保安，而是每天早晨上班高峰的一道主要风景。他的存在以及他那令人愉快的微笑成为我一天里必不可少的组成部分。当他不在的时候，很多人都会注意到，我也会因此感到一点点失落。
The first few times I saw the security guard, I didn’t say hello back to him. I was in my own world, contemplating the day’s activities. One day I said hello back. We continued to greet each other day after day. Then on one Friday morning he wished me a good weekend.
刚开始看到他的几次，我并没有回应他的问候，我沉浸在自己的世界中，想着一天内要做的事情。有一天我回应了他的问候，接下来，我们就一直互相问候着。然后，一个周五的上午，他祝我周末愉快。
On Monday the security guard asked me, "How was your weekend?" I told him about my visit to California, to see my mother, who had colon cancer. I shared how I visited her each month. "My time with mother is so precious, because I know that each time may be the last. I feel fortunate to have the gift of time."
星期一的时候，这个保安问我周末过得如何。我告诉他我去加利福尼亚看望了母亲，她得了结肠癌。我还告诉他我每个月都会去看望她，“我跟妈妈在一起的时间非常宝贵，因为我知道每一次都可能是最后一次。我觉得自己非常幸运还能有这样的时间。”
He listened like a concerned friend I’d known for years. He felt my sadness and my love. He shared how he had lost his father to cancer two years before. He said, "I understand what you are going through. My father passed away while I was serving in Germany. It was three months from retiring from being in the service for over 22 years. Due to circumstances I was unable to fly back in time. I was unable to say goodbye or be at the funeral. I wish I could have been with him, given him a hug, and told him I loved him. You are really lucky to have the gift of time."
他听得很认真，就像一个相识多年非常关切你的老朋友。他感受到了我心中的爱和深深的哀伤。他也向我诉说了两年前他是怎样失去了患癌症的父亲。他说：“我理解你现在内心的感受。我父亲去世时，我正在德国服役，当时离我服满22年兵役退伍还有三个月，由于当时的一些情况，我没能及时飞回来，没能向他告别，也没能出现在他的葬礼上。我是多么希望在最后的时刻跟他在一起，拥抱他一下，并告诉他我爱他啊。你现在还有这样的时间，确实非常幸运。”
As I walked away, I realized I did not even know his name. I was touched by the exchange. How compassionate and understanding the security guard was!
当我走开的时候，忽然意识到自己甚至还不知道他的名字，可是我已被这样的交流所触动。这个保安是多么富有同情心和善解人意啊！
The following day, on my way to work, as the security guard said hello to me, I wished him a good morning back and said, "After we spent all that time talking yesterday, I still don’t know your name." The security guard answered, "Gary." I responded back, "My name is Deborah."
第二天，当我上班再经过这个保安时，我们互致问候后，我问道：“昨天我们谈了那么多，可我还不知道你的名字呢。”他答道：“加里。”我也回应道：“我叫黛博拉。”
One Monday morning, I stopped to talk to Gary. Gary pulled a picture of his 7-year-old daughter out of his wallet. He told me they had spent the weekend together going to church and to the movies. He shared the importance of teamwork in the military and talked about the friends he had lost, fighting in Kosovo. He shared his vision of going back to school to become an airline pilot. I shared my dreams of wanting to work for myself.
一个星期一的上午，我停下来和加里说话，他从皮夹里抽出一张相片，他七岁女儿的。他告诉我他们一起度过了周末，一起去了教堂，看了电影。他跟我聊了军队里团队精神的重要性，也谈起了他在科索沃战争中失去的朋友们，还讲了他想回到学校成为一名飞行员的想法。我也向他谈了我想自己单干的梦想。
At 42 years old, Gary followed his heart, entered into pilot training, and went back to school to earn a degree in business. Later, he received a call from the ROTC offering him a job at the University of New Mexico. Gary took the job, and moved away. It’s been several years since I last spoke to Gary in front of the men’s department, yet the memory feels like yesterday.
42岁的时候，加里遵从内心的想法，进入了飞行员训练班，还回到了学校准备获取商学院的学位。后来，他接到（美国）后备军官训练队的电话，请他到新墨西哥大学工作。加里接受了这份工作，离开了。自从我最后一次在男装店前跟他说话已经好几年过去了，可是这些记忆仍像昨天发生的那样清晰。
Gary reached out to me, touched me and made my morning the best part of the day. I experienced the beauty of friendship and love.
加里走进了我的世界，触动了我，让每天早晨成了我一天中最美好的一段时光。我感受到了友谊和爱的美好。
In the busyness of life, we often forget to wish a stranger hello although how easy it is, and how great and lasting a difference it can make. When you say hello to a stranger and share from the heart, you become a pebble in the pond. With each ripple4 you create, you spread love that continues to give, long after it seems that it has disappeared.
在生活的忙忙碌碌中，我们常常忽视对陌生人的问候，尽管这些简单的问候能给我们的生活带来很大的不同和持久的影响。当你向陌生人问候并对他（她）袒露心扉的时候，你便像那池塘里的鹅卵石，随着你激起的每一个涟漪，你的爱也在不断传播着，这份爱的涟漪会一层一层荡漾开去，久久不会消逝。
Notes:
1. hustle v.推搡
2. muffin n.杯状小松糕
3. dimple n.酒窝
4. ripple n.波纹,涟漪；逐渐扩散的感觉