unit5WritingThreeThank-YouLetters

　　AlexHaleyservedintheCoastGuardduringWorldWarll.Onanespeciallylonelydaytobeatsea--ThanksgivingDay--hebegantogiveseriousthoughttoaholidaythathasbecome,formanyAmericans,adayofovereatingandwatchingendlessgamesoffootball.HaleydecidedtocelebratethetruemeaningofThanksgivingbywritingthreeveryspecialletters.

　　亚历克斯•黑利二战时在海岸警卫队服役.出海在外,时逢一个倍感孤寂的日子――感恩节,他开始认真思考起这一节日的意义.对许多美国人而言,这个节日已成为大吃大喝、没完没了地看橄榄球比赛的日子.黑利决定写三封不同寻常的信,以此来纪念感恩节的真正意义.

　　WritingThreeThank-YouLetters

　　AlexHaley

　　1Itwas1943,duringWorldWarII,andIwasayoungU.S.coastguardsman.Myship,theUSSMurzim,hadbeenunderwayforseveraldays.Mostofherholdscontainedthousandsofcartonsofcannedordriedfoods.Theotherholdswereloadedwithfive-hundred-poundbombspackeddelicatelyinpaddedracks.OurdestinationwasabigbaseontheislandofTulagiintheSouthPacific.

　　写三封感谢信

　　亚利克斯•黑利

　　那是在二战期间的1943年,我是个年轻的美国海岸警卫队队员.我们的船,美国军舰军市一号已出海多日.多数船舱装着成千上万箱罐装或风干的食品.其余的船舱装着不少五百磅重的炸弹,都小心翼翼地放在垫过的架子上.我们的目的地是南太平洋图拉吉岛上一个规模很大的基地.

　　2IwasoneoftheMurzim'sseveralcooksand,quitethesameasforfolkashore,thisThanksgivingmorninghadseenusbusilypreparingatraditionaldinnerfeaturingroastturkey.

　　我是军市一号上的一个厨师,跟岸上的人一样,那个感恩节的上午,我们忙着在准备一道以烤火鸡为主的传统菜肴.

　　3Well,asanycookknows,it'salotofhardworktocookandserveabigmeal,andcleanupandputeverythingaway.Butfinally,aroundsundown,wefinishedatlast.

　　当厨师的都知道,要烹制一顿大餐,摆上桌,再刷洗、收拾干净,是件辛苦的事.不过,等到太阳快下山时,我们总算全都收拾停当了.

　　4IdecidedfirsttogooutontheMurzim'safterdeckforabreathofopenair.Imademywayoutthere,breathingingreat,deepdraughtswhilewalkingslowlyabout,stillwearingmywhitecook'shat.

　　我想先去后甲板透透气.我信步走去,一边深深呼吸着空气,一边慢慢地踱着步,头上仍戴着那顶白色的厨师帽.

　　5IgottothinkingaboutThanksgiving,ofthePilgrims,Indians,wildturkeys,pumpkins,cornonthecob,andtherest.我开始思索起感恩节这个节日来,想着清教徒前辈移民、印第安人、野火鸡、南瓜、玉米棒等等.

　　6Yetmymindseemedtobeinquestofsomethingelse--somewaythatIcouldpersonallyapplytothecloseofThanksgiving.Itmusthavetakenmeahalfhourtosensethatmaybesomekeytoananswercouldresultfromreversingtheword"Thanksgiving"--atleastthatsuggestedaverbaldirection,"Givingthanks."

　　可我脑子里似乎还在搜索着别的事什么――某种我能够赋予这一节日以个人意义的方式.大概过了半个小时左右我才意识到,问题的关键也许在于把Thanksgiving这个字前后颠倒一下――那样一来至少文字好懂了：Givingthanks.

　　7Givingthanks--asinpraying,thankingGod,Ithought.Yes,ofcourse.Certainly.

　　表达谢意――就如在祈祷时感谢上帝那样,我暗想.对啊,是这样,当然是这样.

　　8Yetmymindcontinuedturningtheideaover.

　　可我脑子里仍一直盘桓着这事.

　　9Afterawhile,likeadawn'sbrightening,afurtheranswerdidcome--thattherewerepeopletothank,peoplewhohaddonesomuchformethatIcouldneverpossiblyrepaythem.TheembarrassingtruthwasI'dalwaysjustacceptedwhatthey'ddone,takenallofitforgranted.NotonetimehadIeverbotheredtoexpresstoanyofthemsomuchasasimple,sincere"Thankyou."

　　过了片刻,如同晨曦初现,一个更清晰的念头终于涌现脑际――要感谢他人,那些赐我以诸多恩惠,我根本无以回报的人们.令我深感不安的实际情形是,我向来对他们所做的一切受之泰然,认为是理所应当.我一次也没想过要对他们中的任何一位真心诚意地说一句简单的谢谢.

　　10Atleastsevenpeoplehadbeenparticularlyandlastinglyhelpfultome.Irealize