综合教程3课文翻译Word文档下载推荐.docx

综合教程3课文翻译Word文档下载推荐.docx

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Somethingforstevie

Itrynottobebiased,butIhadmydoubtsabouthiringStevie.Hisplacementcounselorassuredmethathewouldbeagood,reliablebusboy.ButIhadneverhadamentallyhandicappedemployeeandwasn’tsureIwantedone.Iwasn’tsurehowmycustomerswouldreact.Steviewasshort,alittledumpy,withthesmoothfacialfeaturesandthick-tonguedspeechofDown’ssyndrome.

Iwasn’tworriedaboutmostofmytruckercustomers.Truckersdon’tgenerallycarewhobusestablesaslongasthefoodisgoodandthepiesarehomemade.Theoneswhoconcernedmewerethemouthycollegekidstravelingtoschool;

theyuppiesnobswhosecretlypolishtheirsilverwarewiththeirnapkinsforfearofcatchingsomedreaded“truck-stopgerm;

”andthepairsofwhite-shirtedbusinessmenonexpenseaccountswhothinkeverytruck-stopwaitresswantstobeflirtedwith.IknewthosepeoplewouldbeuncomfortablearoundStevie,soIcloselywatchedhimforthefirstfewweeks.

Ishouldn’thaveworried.Afterthefirstweek,Steviehadmystaffwrappedaroundhislittlefinger.Withinamonthmytruckerregularshadadoptedhimastheirofficialtruck-stopmascot.AfterthatIreallydidn’tcarewhattherestofthecustomersthought.

Hewasa21-year-oldinbluejeansandNikes,eagertolaughandeagertoplease,butfierceinhisattentiontohisduties.Everysaltandpeppershakerwasexactlyinitsplace,notabreadcrumborcoffeespillwasvisiblewhenSteviegotdonewiththetable.

Ouronlyproblemwasconvincinghimtowaittocleanatableuntilafterthecustomerswerefinished.Hewouldhoverinthebackground,shiftinghisweightfromonefoottotheother,scanningthediningroomuntilatablewasempty.Thenhewouldhurrytotheemptytableandcarefullybusthedishesandglassesontothecartandmeticulouslywipethetablewithapracticedflourishofhisrag.Ifhethoughtacustomerwaswatching,hisbrowswouldpuckerwithaddedconcentration.Hetookprideindoinghisjobexactlyright,andyouhadtolovehowhardhetriedtopleaseeachandeverypersonhemet.

Overtime,welearnedthathelivedwithhismother,awidowwhowasdisabledafterrepeatedsurgeriesforcancer.TheylivedontheirSocialSecuritybenefitsinpublichousingtwomilesfromthetruck-stop.Theirsocialworker,whostoppedtocheckonhimeverysooften,admittedtheyhadfallenbetweenthecracks.Moneywastight,andwhatIpaidhimwasprobablythedifferencebetweenthembeingabletolivetogetherandSteviebeingsenttoagrouphome.

That’swhytherestaurantwasagloomyplacethatmorninglastAugust,thefirstmorninginthreeyearsthatSteviemissedwork.HewasattheMayoClinicinRochestergettinganewvalveorsomethingputinhisheart.HissocialworkersaidthatpeoplewithDown’ssyndromeoftenhaveheartproblemsatanearlyage,sothiswasn’tunexpected.Therewasagoodchancehewouldcomethroughthesurgeryingoodshapeandbebackatworkinafewmonths.

Arippleofexcitementranthroughthestafflaterthatmorningwhenwordcamethathewasoutofsurgery,inrecoveryanddoingfine.Frannie,myheadwaitress,letoutawarwhoopanddidalittledanceintheaislewhensheheardthegoodnews.BelleRinger,oneofourregulartruckercustomers,staredatthesightofthis50-year-oldgrandmotheroffourdoingavictoryshimmybesidehistable.Frannieblushed,smoothedherapronandshotBelleRingerawitheringlook.

9Hegrinned.“OK,Frannie,whatwasthatallabout?

”heasked.

10“WejustgotwordthatStevieisoutofsurgeryandgoingtobeokay.”sheresponded.

“Iwaswonderingwherehewas,”saidBelle.“Ihadanewjoketotellhim.Whatwasthesurgeryabout?

”

12FranniequicklytoldhimandtheothertwodriverssittingathisboothaboutStevie’ssurgery,thensighed.“Yeah,I’mgladheisgoingtobeokay,”shesaid,“butIdon’tknowhowheandhismomaregoingtohandleallthebills.FromwhatIhear,they’rebarelygettingby

asitis.”BelleRingernoddedthoughtfully,andFranniehurriedofftowaitontherestofhertables.

Afterthemorningrush,Franniewalkedintomyoffice.Shehadacoupleofpapernapkinsinherhandandafunnylookonherface.“What’sup?

”Iasked.“ThattablewhereBelleRingerandhisfriendsweresitting,”shesaid,“thiswasfoldedandtuckedunderacoffeecup.”Shehandedthenapkintome,andthree$20billsfellontomydeskwhenIopenedit.Ontheoutside,inbig,boldletters,wasprinted“SomethingForStevie.”

“PonyPetealsoaskedmewhatthatdancewasallabout,”shesaid,“soItoldhimaboutStevieandhismomandeverything,andPetelookedatTonyandTonylookedatPete,andtheyendedupgivingmethis.”Shehandedmeanotherpapernapkinthathad“SomethingForStevie”scrawledonitsoutside.Two$50billsweretuckedwithinitsfolds.Frannielooked