I know now that the man who sat with me on the old wooden stairs that hot summer night over thirty-five years ago was not a tall man. But to a five-year-old， he was a giant. We sat side by side， watching the sun go down behind the old Texaco service station across the busy street. A street that I was never allowed to cross unless accompanied by an adult， or at the very least， an older sibling.
我现在知道，35年前那个炎热夏夜和我坐在破旧的木楼梯上的老人并不高大，但对一个5岁的孩子来说，他却是一个巨人。我们并排坐着，看着太阳落在繁忙的街对面那个老德克萨克加油站的背后。除非有大人或至少一个哥哥或姐姐陪着，我从未被允许穿过那条街。
Cherry-scented smoke from Grampy‘s pipe kept the hungry mosquitoes at bay while gray， wispy swirls danced around our heads. Now and again， he blew a smoke ring and laughed as I tried to target the hole with my finger. I， clad in a cool summer nightie， and Grampy， his sleeveless T-shirt， sat watching the traffic. We counted cars and tried to guess the color of the next one to turn the corner.
从祖父烟斗里喷出的白色烟雾在我们脑袋周围上下旋绕，它们散发的樱桃香味使贪婪的蚊子不敢靠近。他不时地喷出一串烟圈，在我试着将手指插入烟圈时他放声大笑。我穿着凉爽的小睡衣，祖父穿着他的无袖T恤，坐在那儿观看繁忙的交通。我们数着过往的车辆，并猜想着下一辆拐过街角的汽车的颜色。
Once again， I was caught in the middle of circumstances. The fourth born of six children， it was not uncommon that I was either too young or too old for something. This night I was both. While my two baby brothers slept inside the house， my three older siblings played with friends around the corner， where I was not allowed to go. I stayed with Grampy， and that was okay with me. I was where I wanted to be. My grandfather was baby-sitting while my mother， father and grandmother went out.
我又一次陷于两头都够不上的中间境遇，作为6个孩子中的老四，很多事情对于我来说不是因为年龄太小，就是太大而不合适。那天夜里就是这样。我的两个小兄弟在屋里睡觉，我的另外3个长兄和姐姐在拐角与小伙伴们玩，而我是不允许去那里的。我与祖父呆在一起，这也挺好，正是我想呆的地方。在父母和祖母外出时，祖父就在家看孩子。
Thirsty？“ Grampy asked， never removing the pipe from his mouth.
” Yes，“ was my reply.” How would you like to run over to the gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke？“
I couldn’t believe my ears. Had I heard right？ Was he talking to me？ On my family‘s modest income， Coke was not a part of our budget or diet. A few tantalizing sips was all I had ever had， and certainly never my own bottle.
” Okay，“ I replied shyly， already wondering how I would get across the street. Surely Grampy was going to come with me.
”渴吗？“祖父烟斗不离口地问我。
”是的。“我回答说。”跑到街对面的加油站去给你自己买瓶可乐怎么样？“
我简直不敢相信自己的耳朵，我没有听错吧？他是在跟我说话吗？就我们家微薄的收入来说，可乐不是我们家庭开销的一部分。我只是迫不及待地啜过几小口，从来没有自己喝过一瓶。
可乐的微笑ACokeandaSmile
I know now that the man who sat with me on the old wooden stairs that hot summer night over thirty-five years ago was not a tall man. But to a five-year-old， he was a giant. We sat side by side， watching the sun go down behind the old Texaco service station across the busy street. A street that I was never allowed to cross unless accompanied by an adult， or at the very least， an older sibling.
我现在知道，35年前那个炎热夏夜和我坐在破旧的木楼梯上的老人并不高大，但对一个5岁的孩子来说，他却是一个巨人。我们并排坐着，看着太阳落在繁忙的街对面那个老德克萨克加油站的背后。除非有大人或至少一个哥哥或姐姐陪着，我从未被允许穿过那条街。
Cherry-scented smoke from Grampy‘s pipe kept the hungry mosquitoes at bay while gray， wispy swirls danced around our heads. Now and again， he blew a smoke ring and laughed as I tried to target the hole with my finger. I， clad in a cool summer nightie， and Grampy， his sleeveless T-shirt， sat watching the traffic. We counted cars and tried to guess the color of the next one to turn the corner.
从祖父烟斗里喷出的白色烟雾在我们脑袋周围上下旋绕，它们散发的樱桃香味使贪婪的蚊子不敢靠近。他不时地喷出一串烟圈，在我试着将手指插入烟圈时他放声大笑。我穿着凉爽的小睡衣，祖父穿着他的无袖T恤，坐在那儿观看繁忙的交通。我们数着过往的车辆，并猜想着下一辆拐过街角的汽车的颜色。
Once again， I was caught in the middle of circumstances. The fourth born of six children， it was not uncommon that I was either too young or too old for something. This night I was both. While my two baby brothers slept inside the house， my three older siblings played with friends around the corner， where I was not allowed to go. I stayed with Grampy， and that was okay with me. I was where I wanted to be. My grandfather was baby-sitting while my mother， father and grandmother went out.
我又一次陷于两头都够不上的中间境遇，作为6个孩子中的老四，很多事情对于我来说不是因为年龄太小，就是太大而不合适。那天夜里就是这样。我的两个小兄弟在屋里睡觉，我的另外3个长兄和姐姐在拐角与小伙伴们玩，而我是不允许去那里的。我与祖父呆在一起，这也挺好，正是我想呆的地方。在父母和祖母外出时，祖父就在家看孩子。
Thirsty？“ Grampy asked， never removing the pipe from his mouth.
” Yes，“ was my reply.” How would you like to run over to the gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke？“
I couldn’t believe my ears. Had I heard right？ Was he talking to me？ On my family‘s modest income， Coke was not a part of our budget or diet. A few tantalizing sips was all I had ever had， and certainly never my own bottle.
” Okay，“ I replied shyly， already wondering how I would get across the street. Surely Grampy was going to come with me.
”渴吗？“祖父烟斗不离口地问我。
”是的。“我回答说。”跑到街对面的加油站去给你自己买瓶可乐怎么样？“
我简直不敢相信自己的耳朵，我没有听错吧？他是在跟我说话吗？就我们家微薄的收入来说，可乐不是我们家庭开销的一部分。我只是迫不及待地啜过几小口，从来没有自己喝过一瓶。