My Mother
我妈妈
I was walking through the supermarket to pick up a few things when I noticed an old lady following me around. Thinking nothing of it, I ignored her and continued on.
我在超市里转悠着想要买些东西,可我注意到一个老太太总是跟着我。不过我觉得这没什么,就不理她,继续转。
Finally I went to the checkout line, but she got in front of me.
最后,我到付款台排队时,她赶到了我前面。
"Pardon me," she said, "I'm sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable. It's just that you look just like my son, who just died recently."
“打扰一下,”她说,“我很抱歉,我盯着你看,看得你很不舒服。我这样做只是因为你长得太像我儿子了,他刚刚去世了。”
"I'm very sorry," I said to her, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
“我很难过,”我说,“我能为你做什么吗?”
"Yes," she said, "As I'm leaving, can you say 'Goodbye, Mother?' It would make me feel so much better."
“是的,”她说,“我走的时候,你能对我说一声‘妈妈,再见’吗?这会使我心里好过些的。”
"Sure," I said. An odd request, but no harm would come of it.
“当然,”我说。这虽然是个奇怪的要求,可对我来说也没什么损失。
As the old woman was leaving, I called out, "Goodbye, Mother!"
老太太要走的时候,我大声说:“妈妈,再见!”
As I stepped up to the checkout counter, I saw that my total was $257.50.
等我到付款台前,我发现我的账单是257.5美元。
"How can that be?" I asked, "I only purchased a few things!"
“这怎么可能?”我问道,“我没买多少东西呀!”
"Your mother said that you would pay for her," said the clerk.
“你妈妈说你会为她付账的,”收银员说。