ACT III

How do you do? 你好。

Hello. 哈。

I’m Ralph Riley. 我叫Ralph Riley。

I’m Richard Stewart, and this is my wife, Marilyn. 我叫Richard Stewart，這是我妻子Marilyn。

Pleased to meet you. 很高興與你見面。

Likewise, Mr. Riley. 我們也一樣 Riley先生。

Please, sit down. What can I do for you? 請坐下。我能為你們做什么?

We’d like to discuss a mortgage. 我們想請教一下關于貸款的事。

For a house. 為了房子。

Fine. Are you buying a house 好的。你們是要買房子?

or are you refinancing your present home? 還是原有的房子重新申請貸款?

We’re planning to buy a house. 我們計劃買一棟房子。

And we’d like to find out about a mortgage. 我們想知道如何貸款。

We are customers of the bank. 我們是貴行的顧客。

As a matter of fact, my whole family banks here. 事實上，我們全家都是貴行的顧客。

I have some questions to ask. 我有一些問題要問。

Do you own your house or do you rent? 你們自己有房子還是租房?

Neither. 都不是。

We live with my parents, Dr. and Mrs. Philip Stewart. 我們和父母住在一起，我父母是Philip Stewart夫婦。

And how old are you? 你多大了?

I’m twenty-nine. 我二十九歲。

I’m thirty. 我三十歲。

And, Mr. Stewart, what is your occupation? 那么，Stewart，請問你的職業是什么?

I’m a freelance photographer. 我是自由攝影師。

And, Mrs. Stewart, are you working? 嗯，Stewart太太，你有工作嗎?

Yes. I’m a designer, and I work in a boutique. 是的，我是位設計師，我在一家服裝店工作。

Did you bring any savings or salary information? 你是否帶來儲蓄和薪資的相關資料?

Last year’s tax forms? 譬如去年的稅務申報表?

Yes. Here they are. 帶來了，在這兒。

OK. What ... what kind of house did you have in mind? 好的，你們打算買什么樣的房子?

We’re talking about buying 我們在商量購買

a two-bedroom house in Mount Kisco. 一棟有兩間臥室的的房子，在Mount Kisco。

Here are the financial details on the house. 這是這房子的財務細節。

Thank you. 謝謝你。

Are you prepared to make a ten-percent down payment? 你打算繳納10%做頭期款嗎?

Yes, we are. 是的，我們準備如此辦。

Payments over thirty years? 三十年分期付款嗎?

Yes. 是的。

Do you think we can get a loan? 你覺得我們能得到貸款嗎?

Well, it depends. Do you own any other property? 嗯，這還要看情況。你們擁有其他什么財產嗎?

Any stocks or bonds? 有股票或債券嗎?

No. 沒有。

I see. Then you don’t have any collateral. 我明白了。那么你們沒有任何擔保物。

Perhaps you could get a guarantor-- 也許你可以找一位擔保人---

someone to sign for the loan for you. 找個人為你們的貸款簽個名。

Why is that necessary? 為什么有此必要?

Since you don’t have enough income, 由于你們的收入不夠，

and you don’t already own any property, 而你們又沒擁有其他財產。

the bank needs to be sure 銀行需要確定

you can pay the mortgage every month. 你們能每月按時付款。

A guarantor is responsible for the loan 擔保人要對貸款負責

if you can’t make the payments. 如果你們不能還錢。

I see. Well, the idea of buying a house is exciting. 我明白了。嗯 ，買房子的念頭叫人興奮過頭。

Thank you, Mr. Riley. We’ll read this over carefully. 謝謝你，Riley先生。我們會仔細閱讀這些文件的。

Thank you. 謝謝你們。

Good-bye. Thanks. 再見。謝謝。

Good-bye. And hope to see you soon. 再見。希望很快再見到你們。

I hope so, too. 我也希望如此。

Take care. 慢走。

Good-bye. 再見。

It all sounded so easy 一切聽起來那么容易

until they mentioned needing collateral or a guarantor. 在他們提到擔保物或擔保人之前。

We have no collateral. 我們沒有擔保物。

And I don’t think it’s a good idea 而且我覺得這不是個好主意。

to ask Dad to sign as a guarantor. 請爸爸當擔保人為我簽字。

I don’t feel right about it. 我覺得這樣不對。

I understand your feelings about it, Richard. 我了解你對這種事的心情，Richard。

Now, tell me, what’s the problem? 現在，告訴我，你有什么問題?

We can get a loan from the bank 我們能夠從銀行得到貸款

if we can put up some collateral. 如果我們能提供擔保物的話。

And we don’t own anything to use as collateral. 可是我們沒有任何可以做擔保物的東西。

Or someone can sign with us as a guarantor. 或者有人能當擔保人幫我們簽字。

Why don’t you speak to Dad? 你們為什么不跟爸爸說說?

No. If we buy a house, I want to be able to handle it alone. 不，如果我們買房子，我希望能夠自行負責。

Everybody needs help sometimes, Richard. 每個人都有需要幫助的時候，Richard。

I understand Richard’s feelings about it, Ellen. 我了解Richard的感受，Ellen。

In two or three months, I’ll have an advance on my book 兩到三個月后，我能得到我那本書的預付款

and be able to put more money down. 也就可以增加頭期款的數目。

What about the house in Mount Kisco? 在Mount Kisco的方子呢?

Somebody else’ll buy it by then. 別人也許買走了。

Then there’ll be other houses, Marilyn. 還會有別的房子，Marilyn。

Richard has a point. You’re just beginning to look. Richard，說得對。你們只是開始看房子而已。

We’re in no great rush. It’s true. 我們不很急，這是真的。

This has been a great learning experience for us, Marilyn. 這對我們來講是一次很好的學習經驗，Marilyn。

Talking to the real-estate agent. 與房地產中介商談。

Looking at the houses. 看房子。

Talking to the loan officer at the bank. 與銀行的貸款負責人談。

It has been a learning experience. That’s true. 這真是一次學習經驗，真的。

I think you’re doing the right thing. Taking your time. 我覺得你們做得對。慢慢來。

Looking around. Especially with a purchase of this kind. 到處看看，特別是這一類買賣。

You’re talking about a lot of money. 你們談的可是一大筆錢。

We’ll call Mrs. Martinelli and tell her to keep looking for us. 我們會打電話給Martinelli太太告訴她繼續幫我們物色房子。

And I’ll call Mr. Riley at the bank 我打電話到銀行給Riley先生

and tell him we’ll see him in a couple of months. 告訴他過幾個月我們再去找他。

And if you ever need Dad or me to help you ... 如果你們的確需要我和爸爸的幫助的話 …

We know. 我們知道。

You know we’ll be there for you. 你們知道我們是會伸出援手的。

It’s a Stewart tradition. We’re a family. 這是Stewart家的傳統。我們是一家人。

"They want to buy a house.

But can they afford it?"

We’re planning to buy a house.

And we’d like to find out about mortgage.

"Here’s the application. We need some information."

"How old are you?"

I’m 29. I’m 30.

"How many years were they in school?"

Richard, 16. Marilyn, 14.

"And Mr. Stewart, what’s your occupation?"

I’m a freelance photographer.

"And Mrs. Stewart, are you working?"

Yes, I’m a designer and I work in a boutique.

"Here’s the application. We need some information."

Income. Property. Debt.

What’s their income?

How much money do they make?

They make $2,000 a month.

That’s $24,000 a year.

Can they afford a house?

Do you own your house or do you rent?

Do you own any other property?

Any stocks or bonds?

"Can they afford a house?"

Since you don’t have enough income,

and you don’t already own any property,

the bank needs to be sure

you can pay the mortgage every month.

"They need a guarantor."

A guarantor is responsible for the loan

if you can’t make the payments.

I see.

"They can’t afford a house."

And I don’t think its a good idea to ask Dad

to sign as a guarantor.

I don’t feel right about it.

"They can’t afford a house.

They can’t afford it yet."