So most Sundays
事情是如此的，几乎每一个星期天
I bang out a quick 5km run around my local park,
我都会在家附近公园里小小的跑上5公里
it resets my body clock
这会让我的生物钟重归正轨
after a weekend
在之前的周末两天
playing video games
我都在玩电子游戏
or writing until like 3am.
或写作直至凌晨3点
So
这一天
as I'm getting to the last half a kilometre ,
我刚筹备跑完这一公里的最后一小半跑道
I see a figure in the distance.
我远远的看到一个身影
They have brightly coloured, pink footwear on,
她一双脚上穿着颜色鲜艳的粉色溜冰鞋
I'm only just sort of registering this
我刚刚看清这双鞋
in my exhausted state
运动完有的疲乏
when wham,
忽然，“轰”
they hit the deck.
她撞到木栏上
Hard.
撞得不轻
To my surprise,让我惊讶的是
they just get right back up again,他们却非常快站了起来
but again
wham they hit the deck,
only this time,
不过这一次
they don't get up.
他们没再站起来
I pick up the pace a little,
我稍稍加速
jogging over to them
跑向那人
and asking if they're okay.
像问问她是不是需要帮助
It's a girl,
那是个小姑娘
maybe ten or eleven,
约莫十岁或十一岁
all on their own,
一个人呆在那里
taking off a pair of roller skates
正设法脱掉我们的溜冰鞋
with their face all red
脸上红肿
from what were obviously two painful falls
缘由明显是刚刚那狠狠的两摔
onto hard concrete.
撞到坚硬的水泥地面上
"Yeah, I'm okay, thanks",
“嗯，我没事，谢谢”
she says.
她说
But she is not okay.
但她并不是没事
There's tears forming in her little eyes
她小小的双眼里有泪水流出来
as she takes off her rollerblades
一边还在脱下我们的溜冰鞋
and swaps them for training shoes
换上一双练习鞋
she's been carrying in her bag.
她一直将那双鞋子放在背包里
"That was a really bad fall,
那一跤摔得挺重的
are you sure you're okay?"
你确定你没事吗
"Yeah,
没事
I just got scared"
我就是吓到了
she replies.
她答说
"Have you just started Roller Skating,
你才刚最初学溜冰
yeah?"
是否？
I ask,
我问道
it's obvious she has,
答案显然是这样
the skates are like brand new.
那双溜冰鞋还是簇新的
"I only got them on Friday!"
“我星期五的时候才得到这双鞋！”
she says,
她说到
a little smile appearing
小小的脸上露出微笑
as she remembers
好像想起
how happy and excited she must have been to get them.
自己刚刚得到这双鞋子的时候多么喜悦和开心
"Wow,
哇
that's awesome!
真棒
But, you know,
但，你了解
I think it might be a bit too windy to practice,
我感觉今天风有的大，不合适训练
I used to skateboard
我过去常常滑雪
and it's amazing
我惊讶的发现
how a little bit of wind
一点点微风
can throw you off your balance!"
就会吹得你失去平衡
"Yeah, it is really windy",
没错，今纯真无邪的风非常大
then that little tear forming in her eye
她眼眶中又冒出小小的泪珠
began to drip down her cheek.
泪珠开始从她脸颊上滚落
She was doing everything in her power
她正竭尽所能
not to cry in front of a stranger,
不在一个陌生人面前哭泣
she knew
她了解
she had to be strong.
自己需要坚强
Her little voice quivered ,
她小小的声音颤抖着
but not once did she break.
但没崩溃痛哭，一次也没
"Are Mummy and Daddy around?"
你父母在附近吗
I asked her,
我问她
looking around
环顾四周
to see if there were any parents nearby
想看看附近有没家长
to call over.
可以招呼过来
"No, my Mum is at home"
“没，我母亲在家”
"Wow,
哇
so you came all the way here on your own
这么说，你是自己一路走过来的
because you're so excited to use your skates!?"
由于你迫不及待想要尝试一下你的溜冰鞋？
"Yep",
“没错”
again,
再一次
her smile sort of overrides the tears.
她的微笑抑制住了眼泪
She's proud of herself,
她为自己感到骄傲
and I am too.
我亦这样
"Oh my,
哦，我的老天
you are the bravest little girl I have ever met!
你是我遇见过的最勇敢的小姑娘！
Do you live close by,
你住在附近吗
I only ask because
我只不过想了解
if you fall
假如你摔倒
and graze your elbow,
擦破了膝盖
it's just a short walk home isn't it"
是否非常快就能回家处置伤口
"I do,
是的
but my Mum said
但我母亲告诉我
not to tell people where I live"
不要告诉其他人我住在哪儿
I laugh.
我大笑起来
She smiles again.
她也在微笑
"Well", I continue, "
“那样，”我接着说到
I'm going to carry on running.
我要接着跑步了
You look after yourself, okay?
你好好照顾自己，怎么样？
And I really mean it,
我说的话都是真心实意
you are so brave
你真的非常勇敢
learning to roller skate like that!"
像如此一个人学溜冰
"Thank you!"
“谢谢！”
she says again,
她又说
she's sTOPped crying,
她停止了哭泣
she just looks so proud of herself.
看着为自己自豪极了
"You are so welcome!"
“不需要谢！”
it triggered something parental in me,
这个小姑娘好像触动了我心中柔软的角落
I just started crying.
我泪眼婆娑
People are absolutely amazing sometimes,
有时有的人真的让人赞叹
and if or when I have kids,
假如我也会有小孩，到了那时
if they're half as brave and strong as that little girl,
假如他们有这个小姑娘一半勇敢，一半坚强
I'll be a very, very proud father indeed.
我会是一个很，很骄傲的爸爸
Keep it up,
加油
Roller Girl,
学溜冰的小姑娘
you made me proud to be a human today.今天是
你让我为自己生而为人感到骄傲
