Working in restaurants as a waiter can take its toll on even the most tolerable person.
在餐館做服務(wù)生工作,對最隨和的人也會造成危害。
I'm a fairly tolerant guy, but I simply can't tolerate it when I'm thriving really well on the job,
我是相當寬容的人,但我就是無法容忍在自已工作蒸蒸日上的時候,
and then some party of titanic proportions leaves a small tip.
某個規(guī)模盛大的宴會團體卻給一點點小費。
It's not that I'm so worried about money. I'm quite thrifty.
倒不是我關(guān)心錢。我很節(jié)儉,
I'm not threatened by the fear of going bankrupt or anything.
破產(chǎn)之類的可能性對我并沒有什么威脅。
It's just that when I spend eight hours thrusting my way through the threadlike openings among the crowds at the restaurant,
只是當我花八個小時在餐館的人群中擠過像線一樣窄的缺口,
I feel I should be duly rewarded for my efforts, especially on a night when I am worn out from head to toe.
我感覺好像自己應該因為辛苦而得到應有的報償,尤其是在從頭到腳精疲力竭的晚上。
One such night I was on the threshold of quitting.
在一個與此類似的晚上,我快要打退堂鼓了。
I remember it well because I had just gotten the windows of my car tinted, which had cost me a lot.
我記得一清二楚,因為我剛剛給自己的汽車窗戶:涂上顏色,花了我很多的錢。
The tide was high on the beach that night and I wanted nothing more than to rest in the watery sand after a hard day's work.
那天晚上海灘上的潮水很高,在一天的勞碌之后,我最希望躺在濕漉漉的沙灘上休息。
The beach lies on a tilt and from a certain vantage point you can see a far off island on a clear night.
海灘是在一個斜坡上,從某個有利地位可以在天氣晴朗的夜晚看到遠處的一處島嶼。
Ah, that tilted beach was on my mind that night, but a rude customer thwarted my plans.
啊,那天晚上,我心里一直惦記著那個有斜坡的海灘,但是一個無禮的顧客讓我的計劃受挫。
The customer was a bit drunk, and kept thumping one of the waitresses in her behind.
那個顧客有些醉意,在背后不住地痛打一名女服務(wù)員。
I'm not a timid guy, so I spoke up. "Leave her alone." I said.
我不是膽小之輩,于是我大聲喝道:“放開她。”
The customer and I exchanged a few words I dare not repeat here, but it led to a fight.
我和那個顧客爭吵了幾句,當時的話我不便在此重復,但我們后來動起拳腳。
He hit me in the face and I gave him an even-toed kick in the groin.
他打在我臉上,我用腳尖踢中他的腹股溝。
I was bleeding a little, but nothing a few pieces of tissue couldn't take care of.
我流了一點兒血,但體內(nèi)有些組織具有自行修復的能力,沒有大礙。
Anyway, the police were called and things were settled.
終于報了警,事情得以平息。
But because the police questioned us for so long, I didn't have time to go to the beach.
但是因為警察盤問了我們很久,我沒有時間去海灘。
There was a thunderstorm that night, anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter.
但是晚上來了雷雨,所以我覺得去不去無所謂。
The next morning I took a peaceful walk in the nearby mountains, surrounded by timber and a beautiful topography.
第二天早晨,我在附近的山間悠閑地漫步,周圍是森林和美麗的地貌。
I soon felt better and went back to work that evening.
很快我感覺好多了,那天晚上又照常上班去了。
v. 說,說話,演說
bankrupt['bæ?kr?pt]adj. 破產(chǎn)的,貧窮的,道德敗壞的,枯竭的
timber['timb?]n. 木材,木料
thriving['θriaivi?]adj. 旺盛的;蒸蒸日上的;繁榮的 v. 興旺(thr
tiltedadj. 傾斜的,翹起的 v. 使傾斜(tilt的過去分
rude[ru:d]adj. 粗魯?shù)?,無禮的
adj. 粗糙
adj. 膽怯的,害羞的
bleeding['bli:di?]n. 出血;滲色 adj. 流血的;同情的 v. 出血;
tolerate['t?l?reit]vt. 容忍,忍受
certain['s?:tn]adj. 確定的,必然的,特定的
pron.