英語沙龍十年合集珍藏版第三輯My Stepfather，My Friend
My Stepfather，My Friend
Nine years ago，after Leo had died，people said to me，“I never knew he was your stepfather．”You see，I never called him that．At first，he was no one special in my life．Then he became my friend．In time，I felt he was my father too．
Leo married my mother when I was １１；two years later we moved into a house in a new suburb an development．At first，our lawn1) was just a mud pile with a few untidy clumps of grass，but Leo saw bright possibilities．“Your mother wants flowers；she can plant them here，where there’ s lots of sun，”he said，“We‘ll plant trees over there，to give us shade．And in the backyard，I‘d like a barbecue2)．”Then he smiled．“After so many years of apartment living，now we can have cookouts”
For years Leo had lived in an apartment by himself，and now he was putting down roots in the suburbs．At first our split－level3) house resembled all the others，but then it began to change．Little touches――my mother’s flower garden，Leo’s trees ――made our house unique．More important，a real family was forming within this house，with its own special traditions．Leo was becoming a full－time parent，and I was learning what it meant to have a father．
Weekday mornings when the weather was bad，Leo often drove me to school．Having a father drop you off may have been something my classmates took for granted，but I always thought it was wonderful ．Saturday mornings，we went to the hardware store，then browsed4) in the five－and－ten5)，buying a sports magazine for my brother and something for me．Some people might think that doing errands together is nothing special，but I，who had previously spent my childhood watching other families do these everyday activities，savored6) them now with intense delight．Looking back，I realize that Leo gave me what I needed most――the experience of doing ordinary things together as a family．
One day，we learned that my “real”father――who hadn’t seen or supported my brother or me for more than five years――wanted to see us again，on a regular basis．We remembered too well the early years we had spent with him．He had been angry and cruel，violent and unloving．Since my brother was then １７years old，he didn’t have to follow family－court stipulations7)．But because I was still a“minor”，I had to meet with the judge．When Leo，my mother，and I entered the courtroom，my “real”father was already present．I avoided his glance and told the judge I was part of a new family now，and that Leo taught me how to make things，took me to the movies，and helped me with my homework．I said I didn’t want to see my “real”father anymore because he had never shown any love for me or even much attention．The judge looked at Leo．“How are things going？”he asked．“They couldn’t be better，”Leo answered．“I’m a lucky man to have such a family．”My “real”father’s visitation request was denied that day；he was out of my life，and I was deeply relieved．I also knew Leo had become my dearest friend．
Aren’ t the best parents also good friends to their children，accepting them without reservation and telling them they can be counted on？Stepfamilies aren’ t bound by traditional ties，so the love and friendship they develop is extremely precious．Was Leo“perfect”？He‘d deny it if I said so．And that’s one reason why he was so“perfect”to me．Sometimes，during the first years my new family lived together，I‘d look out my bedroom window on warm summer nights and see Leo and my mother in front of our house．Together they’d walk．My parents，I would think．I actually have two parents．
Soon after we moved to the suburbs，on e of our new neighbors introduced herself to me．She had already met my mother and Leo．“You know，”she remarked，“you look just like your father．”I knew she was just making conversation――but even so．．．“Thank you，”I said．Why tell her anything different？
我的繼父，我的朋友
９年前，利奧去世后，人們都對我說，“我從來不知道他是你的繼父。”是啊，我從不那樣叫他。最初，他在我生活中不占什么特別位置。后來他成了我的朋友。再后來，我覺得他就是我的父親。
我１１歲那年，利奧娶了我的母親；兩年后，我們搬進郊區(qū)新開發(fā)區(qū)的一幢房子里。最初，我們的草坪只是一個土堆，零星長著一些雜草，但是利奧認(rèn)為這里大可利用。“你母親喜歡花，她可以在這兒種，這兒陽光充足，”他說，“我們在那兒栽些樹，可以遮陽。在后院，我要舉辦烤肉野餐。”隨后他微笑著說：“住了這么多年的公寓，我們終于可以在外面野餐了。”
多年來利奧一直獨身一人住在公寓里，現(xiàn)在他開始在郊區(qū)安家了。起先我們的錯層式的房子與其他的大同小異，但很快就有了變化。一些小小的點綴---我母親的花園，利奧的樹---使我們的房子變得與眾不同。更重要的是，一個有著其獨特傳統(tǒng)的真正家庭正在這座房子里形成。利奧逐漸成了一個盡職盡責(zé)的父親，我也體驗到了有父親的滋味。
每天早上，如果天氣不好的話，利奧便開車送我去學(xué)校。讓父親開車送到學(xué)校對我的同學(xué)來說是習(xí)以為常的事，而我卻感到很美妙。周六上午，我們一起去逛五金店，然后又去雜貨店看看，給我哥哥買本體育雜志，也給我買點小東西。也許有人認(rèn)為，一起出去辦點兒事，不是什么了不得的事情。可對于在孩童時代只能眼睜睜看著別人家享有這些日?？鞓返奈遥瑓s從中獲得無窮的樂趣?；貞浲?，我認(rèn)識到了利奧給了我最需要的東西，那就是體驗全家一起做些日?，嵤碌目鞓?。
一天，我們得知５年多來既沒看過也沒撫養(yǎng)過我和哥哥的生父現(xiàn)在卻想定期來看望我們。對曾與他共同生活過的日子，我們記憶猶新。他總是怒氣沖沖，冷酷無情，粗暴無禮，毫無愛心。我哥哥那時已經(jīng)１７歲了，不須遵守家庭調(diào)解法的約束。而我還屬于未成年人，不得不去見法官。當(dāng)利奧、母親和我走進法庭時，我的生父已經(jīng)在那兒了。我避開他的視線，告訴法官我現(xiàn)在有了一個新家，利奧教我動手做一些東西，帶我去看電影，還幫我做功課。我說我再不想見我的生父，因為他從沒給過我愛或關(guān)心。法官看著利奧問道：“情況怎么樣？”“好極了，”利奧回答說。“我很幸運有這樣一個家庭。”我生父的探視要求當(dāng)天就被駁回了；他從我的生活中消失了，我感到如釋重負(fù)。同時我也認(rèn)識到利奧已成了我最好的朋友。
最好的父母不也就是孩子們的好朋友嗎？他們毫無保留地承受撫養(yǎng)孩子的義務(wù)，并讓孩子知道他們是可以信賴的。由繼父母和孩子組成的家庭沒有傳統(tǒng)紐帶的維系，所以他們之間建立的愛和友情是極為珍貴的。利奧“完美無缺”嗎？如果我這樣說，他會否認(rèn)的。這也正是他對我來說如此“完美”的原因之一。在我們這個新家庭組建的頭幾年中，有時在溫暖的夏夜我從臥室朝窗外看，會看見利奧和我母親在屋前一起散步，那時我就會想：這就是我的雙親。我現(xiàn)在既有母親又有父親了。
我們搬到郊區(qū)后不久，一位新鄰居向我作了自我介紹。她已見過我的母親和利奧，“你知道嗎，”她說，“你長得真像你父親。”我知道她只是在尋找交談的話題，但即使是這樣……“謝謝。”我說。為什么要把真相告訴她呢？
NOTE 注釋：
lawn [lC:n] n. 草地, 草坪
barbecue [5bB:bIkju:] n. 吃烤燒肉的野餐
split-level house 錯層式地房子
browse [brauz] v. 隨意觀看
five-and-ten [`faIvEnd ten] n. 專售廉價物品的商店
savor [5seivE] vt. 盡情享受
stipulation [7stipju5leiFEn] n. 約定, 約束
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