Father's Secret

貝蒂·斯坦尼 / Betty Stanley

My father was raised in a fatherless home at a time when government assistance was unheard of. The family of five struggled mightily to survive. That Spartan upbringing caused my father to be extremely tightfisted.

When we children—two older brothers and myself—became aware that other children got spending money from their parents， we made the mistake of asking father for some. His face turned stone cold. “If you’re old enough to ask， you’re old enough to earn，” he rumbled. And so， when the need arose， we scurried about the neighborhood seeking odd jobs or peddling produce from the garden.

His attitude didn’t soften as we grew into adulthood and drifted away to jobs or college. There was a period of time when none of us had a car， so we had to ride the bus whenever we came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home， Dad never met us， even in inclement weather. If someone grumbled (and my brothers grumbled a lot)， he’d say in his loudest father-voice， “That’s what your legs are for！”

So when I went away to college， I knew I was in for a long walk whenever I came home. The walk didn’t bother me as much as the fear of walking alone along the highway and country roads. I also felt less than valued that my father didn’t seem concerned about my safety. That feeling was canceled one spring evening.

It had been a particularly difficult week at college. Tests and long hours in labs had left me exhausted. I longed for home and a soft bed. As other students were met at their stops， I gazed wistfully out the window. Finally， the bus shuddered to a stop at my destination point， and I stepped off， lugging my suitcase to begin the long trek home.

A row of privet hedge edged the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. Once I had turned off the highway to start the last lap of my journey， I was always relieved to see the hedge because it meant that I was almost home. On that particular evening， the hedge had just come into view when a gentle rain began to fall. I stopped to put a book in my suitcase and when I stood up， I saw something gray skimming along the top of the hedge， moving toward the house. Upon closer observation， I realized it was the top of my father’s head. Then I knew—each time I’d come home， he had stood behind the hedge， watching， until he knew I had arrived safely. I swallowed hard against the threatening tears. He did care， after all.

On subsequent visits， that spot of gray became my beacon. I could hardly wait until I was close enough to watch for its covert movement above the greenery. Upon reaching home， I would find my father sitting innocently in his chair. “So！ It’s you！” he’d say， his face lengthening into mock surprise.

I replied， “Yes， Dad， it’s me. I’m home.”

爸爸是在單親家庭中長大的，從小就沒了父親。那時候 “政府援助”這個詞更是聞所未聞。這個五口之家辛辛苦苦才勉強度日。那種簡樸的環境，造就了爸爸的過分小氣。

當我們還是小孩子時，我和兩個哥哥意識到其他孩子的零花錢都是從父母那里得到的。我們天真地去央求爸爸，卻不知道這是一個錯誤的決定。他板起鐵青的臉說，“如果你們可以來要錢，你們就到了賺錢的年紀，”他用低沉的語氣對我們說。從那以后，缺錢花的時候，我們不是慌忙地跑到街坊四鄰找零工，就是看看菜園里有什么可以賣的東西。

當我們長大成人，在外面工作或上大學后，他的態度還是那么強硬。由于這段時間我們兄弟幾個都沒有自己的車，所以，無論我們何時回家，都只好乘坐公共汽車。盡管公共汽車站離我們家有兩英里，但爸爸從未接過我們，即便是在天氣惡劣的時候。如果有人埋怨(我的哥哥們常常牢騷滿腹)，爸爸就會顯露出自己做父親的威嚴，扯開嗓門用最大的聲音喊道：“你們長兩條腿就是用來走路的！”

因此，離家上大學期間，我知道無論何時回家，自己都要徒步走一段很長的路。我倒不擔心走路，真正讓我害怕的是在公路和鄉村的小路上獨自行走。因為爸爸好像并不在乎我的安全，我就覺得自己更加不受重視。然而，在一個春天的傍晚，我的這種感覺不復存在了。

那時，我在大學里度過了相當艱難的一周。不計其數的考試以及實驗室里數小時的實驗使我疲憊不堪。我向往自己的家和那張柔軟的床。其他學生都陸續到了站，而我滿懷渴望地看著窗外，看著他們被父母接走。最終，公車顛簸著停在我的目的地，然后我拖著手提箱下了車，開始了一段既漫長又艱難的回家之旅。

在那條通往山丘的車道邊有一排女貞樹籬，而我的家就在山丘上。每次我一離開公路，轉向最后一段路程時，那道樹籬便會映入眼簾，我總會感到很輕松，因為這說明我就快到家了。在那個特殊的傍晚，我剛剛看到那道樹籬，天空中就飄起了毛毛細雨。我便停下腳步，將一本書放進手提箱。當我站起身的時候，我發現一個灰色的小點沿著那道樹籬的頂端快速移動，正向我家的房子移去。近一些看，我才知道那是爸爸的頭頂。接著，我如夢初醒——每一次我回家的時候，他都會站在那道樹籬的后面，觀察著，直到他確信我已安全到達。我強忍住呼之欲出的淚水。畢竟，他還是在乎我的。

從那以后，每次回家，那個灰點都成了指引我道路的燈。我迫不及待地走近，就想看著它偷偷摸摸地在那些綠樹葉里移動。而當我到家的時候，我會發現爸爸正假裝坐在椅子上。“噢！是你呀！”他會這樣說，并拉長臉，裝出一副驚訝的表情。

我就會回答：“是的，爸爸，是我。我回來了。”

記憶填空

1. When we children—two older brothers and —became aware that other children got spending from their parents， we made the mistake of asking father for . His face turned stone .

2. Though the bus stopped about two miles from ， Dad never met us， even in inclement weather. someone grumbled (and my brothers grumbled a lot)， he’d say in his loudest father-voice，“That’s your legs are for！”

佳句翻譯

1. 那以后，缺錢花的時候，我們不是慌忙地跑到街坊四鄰找零工，就是看看菜園里有什么可以賣的東西。

2. 我倒不擔心走路，真正讓我害怕的是在公路和鄉村的小路上獨自行走。

3. 接著，我如夢初醒——每一次我回家的時候，他都會站在那道樹籬的后面，觀察著，直到他確信我已安全到達。

短語應用

1. I longed for home and a soft bed.

long for：渴望

2. On that particular evening， the hedge had just come into view when a gentle rain began to fall.

come into view：看得見；進入視野