A Chance of a lifetime

生命的機遇

"This is a chance of a life time," I declared to my friend Stacy as I locked the door of my office and left the restaurant I managed. "It’s every twenty-seven-year-old woman’s dream to live in New York City, and in a few months I’ll know if I get the transfer."

"這可是我生命中的一次機遇，"我對斯泰西說。說著，我鎖上辦公室的門，離開了我經營多年的飯店。在紐約生活，這可是每個27歲的女人所夢寐以求的.還有幾個月我就可以知道能否獲準遷入。

I watched the moonlight glisten on the waters of Laguna Beach. "I’ll miss it here, but living in the Big Apple is everything I’ve ever wanted - a dream come true."

我凝視著倒映在拉古納灣水面上的月光。"我很留戀這里，可住在紐約是長久以來我心中惟一的夢想--如今，美夢就要成真了!"

We met a group of our friends at a local cafe, and I jabbered on about the possibility of my move. Laughter erupted from a nearby table. I watched as a handsome man captured the attention of his friends with his engaging story. His broad, warm smile and air of confidence held me in a trance. Stacy nudged me. "You’re staring,

在街上的一家小咖啡店里，我們遇到了一群朋友，我便和他們閑聊著我可能要走的事。這時，鄰近的一張桌子爆發出陣陣笑聲。我應聲望去，看見一個英俊的男人正在給他的朋友講一個引人人勝的故事。他那坦率、溫暖的笑容和自信的模樣讓我不由地發怔。 斯泰西輕輕地捅了我一下，說道："嘿，米歇爾，你發什么呆，好像著魔了一樣。"

Michelle, and about to drool." "Wow," I whispered. I watched the gorgeous guy push up the sleeves of his bulky sweater. Everyone at his table had their eyes fixed on him. "That’s the man I want to marry." "Yeah, right," Stacy droned. "Tell us more about where you’d like to live in New York, because we all plan to visit you there when you land this job. " As I spoke my gaze drifted back to the debonair man.

我看著那英俊的家伙卷起他那寬松外套的衣袖。他桌邊的同伴都全神貫注地望著他。我輕呼道;"哦!那正是我要嫁的男人。""的確不錯，"斯泰西說。"不過，還是快說說你在紐約打算住哪兒?要知道我們都打算等你工作定了去那兒看你。" 我回答著她的問題，目光卻不由自主地移向那個神采飛揚的男人。

Three months later my friends and I gathered at the same restaurant. "To life in the Big Apple!" they cheered as we tapped our glasses together. "My chance of a lifetime!" We talked for hours. I told them of my plan to save money by moving out of my beach cottage and renting a room for the few remaining months. Our friend offered, "I have a fellow South African friend who is considering renting one of the four bedrooms in his house. His name is Barry. A great guy." He scribbled on a napkin. "This is his number. He’s a forty-two-year-old confirmed bachelor. Says he’s much too busy being a single dad to be a husband."

三個月后，我和朋友又相聚在同一家餐廳里。我們互相碰杯，歡呼道："為了紐約的新生活!"我們聊了幾個小時，我總說這是我生命中的一次機遇。我告訴他們為省錢我決定搬出海邊的小木屋，準備在離開前的幾個月內租一間房間住。"我有一個來自南非的朋友，"一個朋友主動提出，"他叫巴里，是個很不錯的家伙。"" 這是他的電話，"他在一張餐巾紙上寫下了號碼。"他是個42歲堅定的單身主義者。他戲言自己忙于做一個單身父親而沒有時間再做丈夫。"

I made an appointment to see the room the same day. I approached the entrance of the spacious house, and the door opened. "You must be Michelle," he said. He pushed up the sleeves of his bulky sweater and flashed his handsome smile. It was the man from the restaurant months before --- the man I wanted to marry.

當天，我便預約去看房子。我正朝那所大房子走去時，門開了。"你一定是米歇爾，"他說著，卷起他寬松外套的衣袖，臉上漾起迷人的微笑。這不就是幾個月前飯店里的那個男人--那個我想要嫁的男人!

I stood staring, my mouth gaping, hoping I wasn’t drooling.

我目瞪口呆地站在那里，希望自己沒有失態。

"You are Michelle, aren’t you? " he said, coaxing me out of my trance." Would you like to see the room?"

"你就是米歇爾，對嗎?"他打斷了我的思緒，說道："你想看看房間嗎?"

I followed him through a tour of the house, then accepted when he offered me a cup of tea. Barry had a sophisticated kindness about him and listened attentively as I chattered nervously about myself. His silver-rimmed glasses accented a few gray streaks in his dark hair. Soon, his warm, inviting smile put me at ease, and we spent the next two hours talking casually. Ultimately, I decided not to take the room and reluctantly bade him good-bye.

我便隨著他參觀了一下房子，并接受了他的邀請，喝了一杯茶。巴里沉穩而耐心，他專心地聽我喋喋不休地談論著自己。他那銀鑲邊的眼鏡使他深色頭發中的幾縷白發格外醒目。很快，他燦爛、熱情的微笑令我放松。在接下來的兩個小時里，我們隨意地聊著。最后，我決定不租那房間，并依依不舍地和他道別。

The months went by quickly while I busied myself with preparation for the move. I thought of Bany often, but couldn’t consider calling him.

之后，我整天忙于搬家的事，幾個月飛快地過去了。這段日子里，盡管我常常想到巴里，卻不曾想過要打電話給他。

"I’m moving to New York in three weeks, "I said to Stacy as we walked out of my office and into the dining area. "As much as I’d like to see him again, it would only complicate my life.

一天，當我和斯泰西離開我的辦公室走向飯廳時，我說："再過三個星期，我就要去紐約了，再見他一面，只會使我的生活變得一團糟。"

"Well, brace yourself for complications," Stacy muttered, then nodded toward the door. Barry, with his big blue eyes and engaging smile, walked into my restaurant.

"那么，就讓它一團糟吧!"斯泰西低語道，朝著門那邊點了點頭。是巴里，他用那雙蔚藍色的眼睛望著我，臉上帶著攝人心魄的微笑，走進了飯店。

"Hello," he said softly. "Do you have time to join me for a cup of coffee?"

"Of course." I tried not to gasp.

"你好，"他溫柔地說道。"現在有空喝杯咖啡嗎?quot;

"當然!"我試著不讓自己窒息。