英语美文,与老朋友们保持联系 Staying in touch with old friends

I recently met an old friend I hadn’t seen in ages.
我最近见了一位许久没见面的老朋友。

He said that he had been busy and also didn’t really know to contact me.
他说自己过去一直很忙，也真的不知道与我联系。

I told him the same.
我告诉我也是一样。

The truth is, we have a few mutual friends, if we had really wanted to contact each other, we could have.
事实是，我们有一些共同的朋友，如果我们真的想联系对方，我们可以马上联系得到。

But with busy schedules, and family life--and all sorts of things going on --well, I guess we just lost touch.
但是繁忙的日程安排和家庭生活——及各种各样的事情——嗯，我想我们就失去联系了。

So, I got to thinking about the people I am in touch with now and those I’d like to contact.
所以，我开始思考我现在联系到的人及我想联系的人。

I have a lot of friends and acquaintances,
我有很多朋友和老相识，

I used to have many more. Somewhere along the line,
我以前有更多。但事与愿违，

we just lost contact with each other.
我们刚刚失去了联系。

I’d like to contact some of my friends from high school.
我想联系一些高中的朋友。

I’d like to say hello to some of the people I used to know in New York and California,
我想和一些自己曾经在纽约和加利福尼亚州认识的人打个招呼，

I know I could do it.
我知道我能做到。

It wouldn’t require me to bend over backwards,
它不会让我使出浑身解数，

but I am not sure if I should.
但是我不确定自己是否应该这样做。

I mean, I have my hands full right now with family and work.

我的意思是，现在的工作和家庭已经让我分身乏术。

Plus, I have people that I am in contact with now,
另外，我现在也和一些人保持着联系，

and I fell kind of guilty that I am not able to spend more time with them.
有种罪恶感蒙上我的心头，我不可以在他们身上再花更多的时间。

Who needs more guilt? Not me!
谁需要更多的罪恶？不是我！

The last Saturday in June, Grandpa suggested we go fishing, since we were caught up on everything. The pond was in a low pasture near the woods. Years before, Grandpa had stocked it with fish. We drove the pickup to the pond that day, looking over the livestock as we went. We hadn't expected what we saw when we got to the pond that morning: One of the swans was dead. Grandpa had given the pair of swans to Grandma on their 50th anniversary. "Why don't we see about buying another one," I suggested, hoping the situation could somehow be righted. Grandpa thought for a few moments before answering.

六月最后一个星期六，外公提议去钓鱼，因为事情都赶着做完了。几年前外公已经在里面放了鱼苗。那天我们开了那辆小货车去池塘，一路上还查看了牲畜的情况。那天上午到达池塘时见到了一件意外的事：一只天鹅死了。这是一对中的一只，这对天鹅是他们结婚五十周年时外公送给外婆的。我说：“干吗不再买一只？”希望那可以弥补一下这种状况。

He finally said, "no... it's not that easy, Bruce. You see, swans mate for life." He raised his finger to point, holding the fishing pole in his other hand. "There's nothing we can do for the one that's left. He has to work it out for himself."

外公想了一会儿才回答。他说：“不，……没那么简单，布鲁斯。你知道吗，天鹅是终生为伴。” 他一手拿着钓竿，另一手抬起来指了一指。“对于留下来的这只我们无能为力，只好靠它自己了。”

We caught enough fish that morning for lunch. On the way back to the house, Grandpa asked me not to tell Grandma about the swan. She didn't get down to the pond much anymore, and there was no sense in her knowing about it right away.

那天上午我们钓了不少鱼供午餐用。回家的路上，外公要我别向外婆提及天鹅的事。她现在不常来池塘这边，没有必要让她马上知道。

A few days later, we drove by the pond while doing our morning check on the cows. We found the other swan lying near the same spot we had found the first one. It, too, was dead.

几天以后的一个清晨，我们驱车去查看母牛时从池塘边走过。在离第一只天鹅死的地方不远，我们见到另一只天鹅躺在那儿。它也死了。

The month of July started with me and Grandpa putting up a new stretch of fence. Then July 12 came. That was the day Grandma passed away. I'd overslept that morning. Grandpa had not knocked on my door, either. It was nearly eight o'clock by the time I could hurriedly dress myself and get down to the kitchen. I saw Dr. Morgan sitting at the kitchen table. He was a neighbor of my grandparents' age, long since retired. He'd come to the house several times before on social calls. I immediately knew something was wrong. This morning, his tattered old black bag was by his feet, and my grandfather was obviously shaken. Grandma had died suddenly that morning of a stroke. By the afternoon, my parents were there. The old house was soon crowded with relatives and Grandpa's friends.

七月初我和外公建造了一堵新围栏。七月十二那天，外婆过世了。那天早晨我睡过了头。外公也没有敲我的门。差不多八点了我才匆匆穿好衣服，下楼来到厨房。我见到摩根医生坐在厨房桌子边。他是外公家邻居，和外公差不多年纪，也早就退休了。他曾来过外公家串过几次门。我立刻感到出了事。那天早晨，他脚边放着他那破旧的黑包，外公的身子直发抖。外婆那天早晨突然患中风逝世了。下午我父母来了。那间老屋一下子亲友云集，显得很拥挤。

The funeral was held the next day. Grandpa had insisted on having it as soon as possible. On the second day after the funeral, Grandpa announced at the breakfast table, "This is a working farm. We have a lot of things to do. The rest of you should get back to your own lives." Most of the family had already left, but this was Grandpa's way of telling the rest it was time for them to go home. My parents were the last to leave after lunch.

第二天举行葬礼。外公坚持尽快举行。葬礼后的第二天，外公在早餐时宣布：“农场要干活，我们有很多事要做。你们剩下的人都请回吧。” 家族大多数人已经走了，而外公就用这种方法告诉剩下的人是回去的时候了。我父母吃过午饭后离开了，他们是最后走的人。

Grandpa was not a man who could outwardly express his grief around others, and we all worried about him. There had been talk of his giving up the farm. My parents thought he was too old to live out there alone. He wouldn't hear of it, though. I was proud of the way the old man had stood his ground. The rest of the summer flowed by. We stayed busy working. I thought there was something different about Grandpa but couldn't quite put my finger on it. I started to wonder if he would be better off living with someone after all, but I knew he could not leave the farm.

外公不会在人前表现自己的悲痛，我们都为他担忧。已经有人在谈论他要放弃农场。我父母认为他年纪太大，不宜一个人单独住在那儿，但他听不进去。老人家如此坚持我倒为此感到骄傲。夏天剩下的日子像流水似地过去了。每天忙忙碌碌，我感到外公和过去有所不同了，却又说不出一个所以然来。我开始在想是不是还是有人陪着外公一起住更好些，可是我也知道他离不开农场。

September was nearing, and part of me did not want to leave. I thought of skipping the fall semester and staying around a few more months. When I mentioned it, grandpa quickly told me that my place was back at college.

九月临近了，我有点不想离开。我想秋季这学期不上学，在这儿再呆几个月。我向外公提出这个想法时，外公马上就说我应当返校读书。

The day finally came for me to pack my car and leave. I shook his hand and chanced a hug. As I drove down the driveway, I saw him in the rearview mirror. He waved to me and then walked to the pasture gate to start the morning livestock check.

终于到了我离开的时候。我把行李装上车，和他握手道别，还偶然拥抱了一下。车子从车道上开走时，我从后视镜里看到他。他向我挥挥手，然后走向牧场门，开始一上午对牲口的巡查。

Mom called me at school on a blustery October day to tell me Grandpa had died. A neighbor had stopped by that morning for coffee and found him in the kitchen. He died of a stroke, same as Grandma. At that moment, I understood what he'd clumsily tried to explain to me about the swan on that morning we fished together by the pond.

十月的一个刮大风的日子，妈妈打电话到学校里告诉我外公死了。那天早晨邻居上他家喝咖啡时发现他在厨房里。和外婆一样，他也是患中风死的。我这才明白，我和他在池塘钓鱼的那天早晨，为何他设法笨拙地向我解释天鹅之死。