""跑到街对面的加油站去给你自己买瓶可乐怎么样？"Icouldn'tbelievemyears.Onmyfamily'smodestincome,Cokewasnotapartofourbudgety,ordiet.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。
可乐与微笑
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.
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。
"Thirsty?"Grandpa asked.
"渴吗？"祖父问我。
"Yes,"was my reply.
"是的。"我回答说。
"How about running over to the gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke?"
"跑到街对面的加油站去给你自己买瓶可乐怎么样？"
I couldn't believe my ears.On my family's modest income,Coke was not a part of our budgety, or diet.
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。
"Okay,"I replied shyly.
"好的。"我害羞地回答说.
Grandpa reached his huge hand deep into the pocket and took out some silver coins.He instructed me to pick out a dime ad then stood up. “Okay," he said, helping me down the stairs and to the curb, " I'm going to stay here and keep an ear out for the babies. You go over to the Coke machine, get your Coke and come back out. Wait for me to tell you when it's safe to cross back."
祖父将他的长腿伸直，把他的大手伸进口袋。我能听到零钱相碰而发出的熟悉的丁当声，他总是把这些零钱带在身上。他让我拿出一个1角的硬币然后站了起来。 "好吧，"他说，帮着我下楼梯到马路沿儿那儿去，"我站在这儿，听着屋里的两个孩子有没有动静，你到对面的可乐机那儿买到你的可乐后再走回来。等着我告诉你什么时候过马路安全。"
My heart pounded. I clutched my dime tightly in my sweaty palm.
我的心砰砰地跳着，紧紧地用汗手攥着那枚1角的硬币，兴奋地喘不上气来。
Grandpa held my hand tightly. Together we looked up the street and down. He tole me it was safe to cross. I ran faster than I had ever run before. Reaching the other side, I turned to find Grandpa. There he was, standing exactly where I had left him, smiling proudly. I waved.
祖父紧紧地拉着我的手，我们一块看了看大街的前后左右。他告诉我现在可以过去了。我跑了起来。我从没有跑得这么快过。跑到对面后，我回头寻找祖父，他正站在我离开他的地方，为我自豪地微笑着。我朝他挥了挥手。
"Go on, hurry up, “he yelled.
"接着走，快点。"他喊道。
My heart pounded wildly as I heard the Coca Cola machine motor humming. I walked directly to the big old red-and-white dispenser. I knew where to insert my dime. I had seen it done before and had fantasized about this moment many times.The big old monster greedily accepted my dime. On tiptoes I reached up and opened the heavy door and grabbed one. The bottle was cold in my sweaty hands. I will never forget the feeling of the cool glass on my skin. Coke in hand, I proudly turned back to find Grandpa. He was waiting patiently. He smiled.
我的心砰砰乱跳着走进昏暗的修车站。我径直走向那台红白相间的巨大的老自动售货机。我知道该往哪儿插硬币，我曾看人做过并曾多次幻想有一天我也能亲身试一试。那个老巨人贪婪地吞下我的硬币。我踮起脚尖伸手摸索着打开了它厚重的门。瓶子在我汗浸浸的手中显得格外冰凉，我永远忘不了冰凉的瓶子接触我皮肤时的感觉。手拿可乐，我自豪地走回到外面，已是黄昏时分。祖父正耐心地等待着，并面带微笑。
"Stop right there, “he yelled. One or two cars sped by me."Come on, now," he said, "run."I did."Don't ever do that alone," he warned. I held the Coke bottle tightly, fearful he would make me pour it into a cup, ruining my dream. He didn’t. One long swallow of the cold cola cooled my sweating body. I don't think I ever felt so proud.
"停在那儿，"一两辆车在我面前飞驶而过，"现在过来，"他说，"跑过来！"我跑了起来。"别再一个人独自过马路！"他警告我。我紧紧地抱着可乐瓶，生怕他让我把可乐倒在杯子里，毁掉我的梦想。他没有。我咕噜噜长长地吞下一口冰凉的可乐，冒汗的身体顿觉清爽无比。我认为自己再也没有过当时那样的自豪。
