of to fight。 After all； she was my sister。
永相厮守（1）
唐·塞贝特
我和迈克尔几乎没有注意到女服务员走了过来，把盘子放在我们的桌上。我们坐在一家小餐馆里，抛开了纽约市第三街区的喧闹。即使是新端上来的薄饼的香味，也不能打断我们兴奋的、忘我的交谈。事实上，薄饼已经在酸奶酪里泡了好一会儿了。我们聊得太投入，有些乐不思食了。
如果说我们的交流算不上深刻，但一定是生动的。我们笑谈着前天晚上看过的电影，讨论着刚刚结束的文学探讨课上所讲到的课文含义。迈克尔采用将名字变成“迈克尔”，并且拒绝应答“迈克”这个名字的方法来显示自己的成熟，他向我讲述着与这样步入成熟的方法相关故事。那时他是12岁还是14岁？迈克尔记不清了，不过他的确还记得妈妈哭了，并说他成长得太快了。当我们开始吃蓝莓薄饼时，我给他讲了去乡下看望表姐妹们时，和姐姐摘蓝莓的事。我还记得，我总是在返回到家之前就把蓝莓吃光了，姨妈警告我说我的胃会疼痛难忍。当然，我的胃根本没痛。
我们继续愉快地交谈着，我环视了一下餐馆，目光停在墙角处的一张小餐桌上，一对老年夫妇坐在那里。老妇人身上的印花裙子褪了色，就像放在她那过时的手提包上的椅垫一样破旧。老爷子头顶的头发都掉光了，就像他正在慢慢吃着的鸡蛋一样光亮。老妇人也在慢慢地喝着她的麦片粥，整个吃饭的过程近乎乏味。
然而，正是他们旁若无人的静默引起了我的注意。在我看来，有一种忧郁的情绪喷发出来，笼罩了他们所在的角落。当我与迈克尔的交流从欢笑变成低语，从表白到评论时，这对老夫妇的极端沉默还在吸引着我。我想：多么可悲啊，再也无话可说了。难道彼此之间再没有一页没有翻阅过的故事吗？如果换作我们将会怎样？
我和迈克尔买了单，起身离开饭店。但我们走过那对老夫妇坐的角落时，我竟不小心把钱包掉在了地上。当弯腰去捡起它时，我看到桌子下面他们空着的那两只手正温柔地握在一起。他们的手一直握在一起！
我站起身，在这样朴素却深沉的情感举动面前，我觉得自己很卑微，能亲眼目睹已是极大的荣幸了。老人对妻子疲惫的手指的轻轻爱抚，不仅填补了我之前察觉到的所有的冷漠空间，也填满了我的心。他们的静默并不是令人难以忍受的，不像第一次约会时，讲完一句妙语或一段轶事后的那种令人害怕的沉默。正好相反，他们的静默是舒服的、惬意的，是无需言语来表达的温柔的爱。或许，他们采用这种方式来共享清晨的这段时光已经很久了，或许今天同昨天没有什么不同，只是他们平和地对待时光、对待彼此。
当我和迈克尔走出来时，我还在想：如果有一天我们也能像他们这样，也挺好的。或许，这也是一种美。
A Gentle Caress
Don Sibet
Michael and I hardly noticed when the waitress came and placed the plates on our table。 We were seated in a small deli tucked away from the bustle of Third Street； in New York City。 Even the smell of our recently arrived blintzes was no challenge to our excited chatter。 In fact，the blintzes remained slumped in their sour cream for quite some time。 We were eaioying ourselves too much to eat。
Our exchange was lively，if not profound。 We laughed about the movie that we had seen the night before and disagreed about the meaning behind the text we had just finished for our literature seminat。 He told me about the moment when he had taken the drastic step into maturitr by being Michael and refusing to respond to “Mikey”。 Had he been twelve or fourteen？ He couldn’t remember，but he did recall that his mother had cried and said he was growing up too quickly。 As we bit into our blueberry blintzes； I told him about the blueberries that my sister and I used to pick when we went to visit our cousins in the country。 I recalled that I always finished mine before we got back to the house； and my aunt would warn me that I was going to get a very bad stomachache。 Of course； I never did。 txt小说上传分享
永相厮守（2）
As our sweet conversation continued，my eyes glanced across the restaurant，stopping at the small corner booth where an elderly couple sat。 Her floral…print dress seemed as faded as the cushion on which she had rested her worn handbag。 The top of his head was as shiny as the soft…boiled egg on which he very slowly nibbled。 She also ate her oatmeal at a slow； almost tedious pace。
But what drew my thoughts to them was their undisturbed silence。 It seemed to me that a melancholy emptiness permeated their little corner。 As the exchange between Michael and me fluctuated from laughs to whispers； confessions to assessments，this couple’s poignant stillness called to me。 How sad，I thought，not to have anything left to say。 Wasn’t there any page that they hadn’t yet turned in each other’s stories？ What if that happened to us？
Michael and I paid our small tab and got up to leave the restaurant。 As we walked by the corner where the old couple sat，I accidentally dropped my wallet。 Bending over to pick it up，I noticed that under the table，each of their free hands was gently cradled in the other’s。 They had been holding hands all this time！
I stood up and felt humbled by the simple yet profound act of connection I had just been privileged to witness。 This man’s gentle caress of his wife’s tired fingers filled not only what I had previously perceived as all emotionally empty corner，but also my heart。 Theirs was not the unfortable silence whose threat one always feels just behind the punch line or at the end of an anecdote on a first date。 No，theirs was a fortable，relaxed ease，a gentle love that knew it did not always need words to express itself。 They had probably shared this hour of the morning with each other for a long time。 and maybe today wasn’t that different from yesterday，but they were at peace with that； and with each other。
Maybe； I thought as Michael and I walked out，it wouldn’t be so bad if someday that was us。 Maybe，it would be kind of nice。
父亲给儿子的一封信
佚名
亲爱的孩子：
当你看到我的衰老，昔日的强壮不在之时，请耐心地努力去了解我……
如果我吃东西时弄得一团糟……如果我无法穿戴整齐……请耐心点。你要记得，我教你做这些事情时曾花费了多少时间。
如果，当我对你说话时，总是成百上千次地重复相同的事情……请不要打断我……请耐心地听我说……
在你很小的时候，我必须成百上千次地重复讲同一个故事给你听，直到你入睡……
当我不想淋浴时，不要羞辱我，也不要斥责我……你要记得，我曾编造了上千条理由，只是为了让你洗澡……
当你看到我在新技术方面愚笨无知时，给我一些必要的时间，不要带着嘲讽的笑意看着我……我曾教导你如何去做很多事情……吃好，穿好……面对生活……
当我在交谈中偶尔忘记了内容，或者思路不清……让我有一些必要的时间回忆……如果我不能想起，请不要不安……因为最重要的不是我的谈话，而是有你相伴，有你倾听我……
如果我有时不想吃东西，不要强迫我，我清楚自己什么时候需要食物，什么时候不需要。
当我衰老的双腿无法行走……伸出你的手……在你迈出人生的第一步时，我也曾同样这样帮你。
还有，当我有一天告诉你，我不想再活了……想随风而逝时，不要生气……终有一日，你会明白……设法去了解，像我这样的年纪，不过是苟延残喘。
总有一天，你会发现，尽管我有许多过错，但我总想给你最好的，并总是设法为你铺好道路……
看到我靠近你时，一定不要感到伤心、生气或无奈，你一定要站在我的身边，设法理解我、帮助我，就像在你刚开始生活时我所做的那样。扶着我行走……用爱和耐心帮助我走完人生……我会用微笑和始终给你的宽广的爱来回报你。
我爱你，孩子……
你的父亲
Dear Son
Anonymous
Dear son；
The day that you see me old and I am already not； have patience and try to understand me。。。
If I get dirty when eating。。。 if I can not dress。。。 have patience。 Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you。
If； when I speak to you； I repeat the same things thousand and one times。。。 do not interrupt1 me。。。 listen to me
When you were small； I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you get to sleep。。。
When I do not want to have a shower， neither shame me nor scold me。。。 Remember when I had to chase2 you with thousand excuses I invented； in order that you wanted to bath。。。
When you see my ignorance on new technologies。。。 give me the necessary time and not look at me with your mocking3 smile。。。 I taught you how to do so many things。。。to eat good； to dress well。。。 to confront life。。。
When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread ofour conversation。。。 let me have the necessary time to remember。。。 and if I cannot do it； do not bee nervous。。。 as the most important thing is not my conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me。。。
If ever I do not want to eat； do not force me。 I know well when I need to and when not。
When my tired legs do not allow me walk。。。 give me your hand。。。 the same way I did when you gave your first steps。
And when someday I say to you that I do not want to live anymore。。。 that I want to die。。。 do not get angry。。。 some day you will understand。。。 Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived4。
Some day you will discover that； despite my mistakes； I always wanted the best thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you。。。
You must not feel sad； angry or impotent5 for seeing me near you。 You must be next to me； try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you started living。 Help me to walk。。。 help me to end my way with love and patience。 I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you。
I love you son。。。
Your father
书 包 网 txt小说上传分享
和猫的对话（1）
希拉里·白洛克
那天，我走进火车站的一个酒吧，要了一杯啤酒，独自坐了下来，开始思索，我想人类的孤独感是一种必然，也是一种悲惨。刚开始我想到自然界存在着某种必然，并因此感到欣慰，但是我继而想到不能这样想，人类的灵魂需要其他的东西。我用了好长时间思索其他的词汇，这时，命运之神或是某个福星把一只茶色且油光闪亮的长毛猫送到我的面前。
如果说每个国家都有属于自己的猫，那么英国人的猫是最好的，因为它们最快活最友善。但是，我遇到的这只猫，就算是与英国猫相比，也是格外聪明和友善——尤其是友善。它轻轻一跳，跳到了我的腿上，安稳地卧在那里，用它那可爱的右前爪小心翼翼地触到了我的胳膊，算是自我介绍，它的目光可爱而无暇，看了我一眼，接着偷偷地微笑了一下，算是接受我了。
受到这样的亲近问候，没有人会不做出反应。所以我竟然伸出手去抚摩阿玛西亚（我正是因为这个名字才有了这番幻想），尽管我的动作是出于尊重和对陌生人的礼貌，但很快我们之间产生了亲密感，我为在西南部99路的地铁终点站，找到这样的好朋友而高兴。然后，我从抚摸变到说话（当然是以恰当的方式），我说：“阿玛西亚，最漂亮的猫，你想得到爱抚，为什么偏偏选中我呢？你认为我是所有生灵的朋友吗？还是你自己特别孤单（尽管我知道你的可爱的家离此不远）？还是因为动物和人类一样拥有同情心？那么你为什么要这样做呢？会不会因为我太傻了，问这样的问题，却不愿意接受上帝赐予的美好事物呢？”
阿玛西亚回应了我提出的问题，它咕噜咕噜地叫着，闭着眼睛，对我们的相遇表示非常惊喜。
“阿玛西亚，你永远都不会离开我的。”我说，“你睡吧，我要陪在你的身边，永远坐在这里，我把你抱在怀里，任你做最美丽的梦，没有任何东西能够将咱们分离，我的阿玛西亚。我是你的人，你是我的猫，从现在一直到最完美的安宁。”
接着，阿玛西亚再次站起来，轻盈、小心地跳到地板上，那动作可爱得犹如波浪。它就这样慢悠悠地离去了，头也不回。它另有打算，当它端庄地走到它要找的门时，一个矮小且另人讨厌的人弯下身去抚摸它的头后部，还一边说着：“猫咪，猫咪。” 它甚至没有看他一眼，只是蹭蹭他的腿，以表达他单纯而深沉的爱，并以此来表达友谊的圣洁与不朽。
A Conversation with a Cat
Hilaire Belloc
The other day I went into the bar of a railway station and； taking a glass of beer； I sat down at a little table by myself to meditate upon the necessary but tragic isolation of the human soul。 I began my meditations1 by consoling myself with the truth that something in mon runs through all nature； but I went on to consider that this cut no ice； and that the heart needed something more。 I might by long research have disc