散文:Not Just a Mom 母親的含義

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A woman named Emily renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a ... "

一位名叫埃米莉的婦女在縣辦事處給駕駛執(zhí)照續(xù)期時(shí)，一名女記錄員問(wèn)及她的職業(yè)。她猶豫了一下，不敢肯定應(yīng)如何將自己歸類(lèi)。“我意思是說(shuō)你有沒(méi)有工作，”那名記錄員解釋說(shuō)，“還是說(shuō)你只不過(guò)是一名……”

"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a mother."

“我當(dāng)然有工作，”埃米莉馬上回答，“我是一名母親。”

"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation ... 'Housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

“我們這里不把‘母親’看成是一個(gè)職業(yè)……‘家庭主婦’就可以了。”那名記錄員斷然回答。

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed.

這個(gè)故事聽(tīng)后，我就忘了。直到有一天在市政廳，我也遇到了同樣的情況。很顯然，那名辦事員是位職業(yè)女性，自信、有能力，并有著一個(gè)類(lèi)似“官方訊問(wèn)員”或“鎮(zhèn)登記員”之類(lèi)很堂皇的頭銜。“你的職業(yè)?”她問(wèn)道。

What made me say it, I do not know ... The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

至今我也不知道，當(dāng)時(shí)是什么因素作怪，我脫口而出：“我是兒童發(fā)育和人類(lèi)關(guān)系研究員。”

The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.

那名辦事員愣住了，拿著原珠筆的手也不動(dòng)了。她抬頭看著我，好像沒(méi)有聽(tīng)清楚我說(shuō)什么似的。

I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

我慢慢地把我的職業(yè)再重復(fù)一遍，在說(shuō)到重要的詞時(shí)還加重語(yǔ)氣。然后，我驚奇地看著我的話(huà)被粗黑的筆記錄在官方的問(wèn)卷上。

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

“我能不能問(wèn)一下，”這名辦事員好奇地問(wèn)，“你在這個(gè)領(lǐng)域具體做什么?”

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (the whole darned family), and already have four credits, (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

我非常鎮(zhèn)定地答道：“我有一個(gè)不間斷的研究項(xiàng)目(哪位母親不是這樣呢?)，工作地點(diǎn)包括實(shí)驗(yàn)室和現(xiàn)場(chǎng)(通常我會(huì)說(shuō)室內(nèi)和戶(hù)外)。我在為我的學(xué)位努力(就是我們一家人)，而且已經(jīng)有了四個(gè)學(xué)分(全部是女兒)。當(dāng)然，我的工作是人類(lèi)要求最高的工作之一(有哪位母親會(huì)反對(duì)嗎?)我通常工作一天14小時(shí)(24小時(shí)更為準(zhǔn)確)。但這項(xiàng)工作比大部分普通工作都具有挑戰(zhàn)性，而它通常帶來(lái)的回報(bào)不是金錢(qián)，更多的是滿(mǎn)足感。”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

那名辦事員在填完表格后，站起來(lái)，親自把我送到門(mén)口。在這個(gè)過(guò)程中，她說(shuō)話(huà)時(shí)流露出一股敬意。

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

我回到家，把車(chē)停在家門(mén)前的車(chē)道時(shí)，還對(duì)自己響亮的頭銜覺(jué)得飄飄然。我那三名年齡分別為13歲、7歲、3歲的實(shí)驗(yàn)室助手正在等著我，從樓上傳來(lái)我們的新實(shí)驗(yàn)?zāi)Ｌ貎?六個(gè)月大的嬰兒)的聲音，她正放開(kāi)嗓門(mén)，測(cè)試著新的聲音模式。

I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another mother."

我感到歡欣鼓舞!我竟然打敗了官僚機(jī)構(gòu)!如今，在官方的紀(jì)錄上，我成了人類(lèi)超群出眾、不可或缺的人物，而不僅僅是一位母親。

Motherhood ... What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.

母親……這是多么光榮的職業(yè)啊!特別是現(xiàn)在這已經(jīng)成為官方記錄了。

Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research Associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations" and great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates"? I think so!!!

這是不是說(shuō)奶奶和姥姥就是“資深兒童發(fā)育和人類(lèi)關(guān)系研究員”，而曾祖母則是“高級(jí)研究員”呢?我想是這樣的!

I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants".

我想，小姨子也因此成了“研究員助理”。