爱如鲜花盛开(中英双语)
I was nine when my father first sent me flowers. I had been taking tapdancing lessons for six months, and the school was giving its yearly recital. As an excited member of the beginners/' chorus line, I was aware of my lowly status.
父亲第一次给我送花是在我九岁那年。当时，我加入学校踢踏舞班才学了六个月，正逢学校举办一年一度的演出。我只能编入新学员合唱队，却依然兴致勃勃。不过我清楚自己只是个不起眼的小角色。
So it was a surprise to have my name called out at the end of the show along with the lead dancers and to find my arms full of long-stemmed red roses. I can still feel myself standing on that stage, blushing furiously and gazing over the footlights to see my father/'s grin as he applauded loudly.
可演出一结束，我竟与主舞的演员一起给喊到前台，双手捧着一束枝繁叶茂的红玫瑰。我至今还感觉得到自己站在舞台上，双颊绯红，越过绚丽的脚灯光线向下张望，看见的竟是父亲的笑脸，他一面使劲地鼓掌，一面快活地笑着。
Those roses were the first in a series of large bouquets that accompanied all the milestones in my life. They brought a sense of embarrassment. I enjoyed them, but was flustered by the extravagance.
这束鲜花是第一束，往后，每逢我人生一个里程碑，父亲都要送我一大束鲜花。可收到那些鲜花，我的心情总是很矛盾：既高兴，又有些不自在。我喜爱鲜花，可又为这种奢侈而不安。
Not my father. He did everything in a big way. If you sent him to the bakery for a cake, he came back with three. Once, when Mother told him I needed a new party dress, he brought home a dozen.
父亲却从不会觉得不安，他做什么事都大方得很。你若让他去糕点铺买一块蛋糕，他定会买来三块。一次，母亲对他说我需要一条新舞裙，他竟买回一打。
His behavior often left us without funds for other more important things. After the dress incident, there was no money for the winter coat I really needed――or the new ice skates I wanted.
他这么做常常使我们没有钱再去添置其它更需要的东西。那次他买回一打舞裙后，就再也没钱去买我真正急需的冬大衣和我一直向往的新溜冰鞋。
Sometimes I would be angry with him, but not for long. Inevitably he would buy me something to make up with me. The gift was so apparently an offering of love he could not verbalize that I would throw my arms around him and kiss him――an act that undoubtedly perpetuated his behavior.
有时我会为这些事跟父亲赌气，但时间都不会长。每次他必定会给我买些礼物与我和好。这礼物显然传达着他不善用言辞表达的爱。这时我便会搂住父亲，吻他――这亲昵的行为无疑会使他再度大方。
Then came my 16th birthday. It was not a happy occasion. I was fat and had no boyfriend. And my well-meaning parents furthered my misery by giving me a party. As I entered the dining room, there on the table next to my cake was a huge bouquet of flowers, bigger than any before.
后来迎来了我16岁生日，可我并不快活。我长得胖，那时还没有男朋友。好心的父母为我准备了个生日晚会，可这更让我觉得难受。我走进餐厅，看见餐桌上生日蛋糕旁边，摆着很大一束鲜花，比以往的都要大。
I wanted to hide. Now everyone would think my father had sent flowers because I had no boyfriend to do it. Sweet 16, and I felt like crying. I probably would have, but my best friend, Phyllis, whispered, "Boy, you/'re lucky to have a father like that.
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