Life Together 相伴一生
Life Together 相伴一生
◎ Ruth a.k.a.
One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer’s office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce. Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story.
在一个阳光明媚的日子里，一对70多岁的老夫妇走进了律师事务所。显然，他们准备到那儿办理离婚手续。律师对此感到十分困惑，而在同他们交谈了以后，他得知他们之间的故事：
This couple had been quarreling all their 40 over years of marriage, and nothing ever seems to go right.
这对夫妇结婚40年来从未停止过挣扎。他们似乎找不到任何共同之处，一切都显得格格不入。
They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there’s nothing else the old couple have to worry about. All they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce.
因为担心他们的离婚会对孩子的成长产生不良影响，这对老夫妇把离婚的事一直耽搁至此。而现在，孩子们都长大成人了，也有了各自的家庭，这对老夫妇就再也没有什么可担心的了。他们现在渴望的就是过各自的生活，逃离这些年来婚姻带来的种种不幸，正因为如此，这两位老人都赞同离婚。
Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers done, because he felt that after 40 years of marriage at the age of 70, he couldn’t understand why the old couple would still wants a divorce.
律师极其艰难地为他们拟了一份离婚协议书，因为他觉得，经历了40年的婚姻，现在两个老人都已经70多岁了，他实在不明白为什么这对老夫妇仍然坚持要离婚。
While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband. “I really love you, but I really can’t carry on anymore, I’m sorry.”
当他们签署文件时，老夫人对丈夫说：“我真的很爱你，但我实在是无法忍受下去了，非常抱歉。”
“It’s OK, I understand.” said the husband. Looking at this, the lawyer suggested a dinner together, just three of them, wife thought, why not, since they are still going be friends.
“没关系，我理解。”丈夫回答道。看到这种情景，律师建议他们三人一起去吃顿晚餐，就他们三个人，老夫人想道，为什么不呢，反正他们很快就是朋友了。
At the dining table, there was a silence of awkwardness.
餐桌上，大家都沉默不语，气氛十分尴尬。
The first dish was roasted chicken. Immediately, the old man took the drumstick for the old lady. “Take this, it’s your favorite.”
第一道菜是烤鸡。老夫人的丈夫马上夹了一个鸡腿给她。“尝尝这个，这是你最喜欢吃的。”
Looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe there’s still a chance, but the wife was frowning when she answer.
见到这种情景，律师心想，他们之间一定还有挽救的机会。然而，老夫人却紧皱着眉头答道：
“This is always the problem, you always think so highly of yourself, never thought about how I feel, don’t you know that I hate drumsticks?”
“这就是问题所在，你总是这么自以为是，从来没有顾及过我的感受，难道你就不知道我讨厌吃鸡腿吗？”
Little did she know that, over the years, the husband have been trying all ways to please her; little did she know that drumsticks was the husband’s favorite.
她一点也不清楚，这些年来，她的丈夫一直想尽办法逗她开心；她一点都不知道，鸡腿是她丈夫最喜爱的食物。
Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all; little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.
他一点也不清楚，他的妻子会认为他完全不了解她；他一点也不知道，他妻子讨厌吃鸡腿，尽管他把自己最喜爱的都给了她。
That night, both of them couldn’t sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn. After hours, the old man couldn’t take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he can’t carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry; he wanted to tell her, “I love you.”
那天晚上，两个老人都睡不着，各自辗转反侧。挣扎了几个小时后，丈夫终于忍耐不住，他发觉自己仍然深爱着妻子，他的生活不能没有她，他要她回来，他要亲口告诉她，表达他的歉意；他要亲口告诉她：“我爱你。”
He picks up the phone, started dialing her number. Ringing never stops. He never stop dialing.
于是他拿起电话，开始拨打老夫人的电话号码。铃声一直在响，电话那头没人接。他不停地按着重拨键。
On the other side, she was sad, she couldn’t understand how come after all these years, he still doesn’t understand her at all. She loves him a lot, but she just can’t take it any-more. Phone’s ringing; she refuses to answer knowing that it’s him.
另一方面，老夫人也很伤心，她不明白为什么经过这么多年的相处，她丈夫仍然一点都不了解她。事实上，她也非常爱她的丈夫，但她再也不愿意跟他一起生活了。电话铃声在响，老夫人知道是她丈夫打来的，但她决定不再接他的电话。
“What’s the point of talking now that it’s over? I have asked for it and now. I want to keep it this way, if not I will lose face.” She thought. Phone still ringing. She has decided to pull out the cord.
“一切都结束了，现在谈论还有什么意思呢？当初，是我提出的离婚，那现在我也得保持下去。对，就这样下去，否则我岂不是很丢脸。”老夫人心想道。电话铃声依旧在响。她索性把电话线拉开了。
Little did she remember, he had heart problems.
而她一点也不记得，她的丈夫有心脏病。
The next day, she received news that he had passed away. She rushed down to his apartment; saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone. He had a heart attack when he was still trying to get thru her phone line.
第二天早上，老夫人得知她丈夫昨晚去世的消息。她径直向他的公寓里跑去，发现她的丈夫躺在沙发上，手里仍然握着电话。那天晚上，当她的丈夫试图接通她的电话时，心脏病突然发作，他就这样离开了她。
As sad as she could be. She will have to clear his belongings. When she was looking thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they got married, beneficiary is her. Together in that file there’s this note.
尽管她很悲伤，她仍不得不亲自动手清理他的遗物。当老夫人认真细致地翻着一个抽屉时，她发现了一张保险单。保险日期从他们结婚之日算起，毫无疑问，保险受益人是她。在这个文件夹里，还有一份就是她丈夫亲手写的遗嘱。
“To my dearest wife, by the time you are reading this, I’m sure I’m no longer around. I bought this policy for you. Though the amount is only $100k, I hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that I have made when we got married, I might not be around anymore, I want this amount of money to continue taking care of you, just like the way I will if I could have live longer. I want you to know I will always be around, by your side. I love you.”
“献给我最亲爱的妻子：当你读着这封遗嘱的时候，我确信我已不在人间。我为你买了这份保险。虽然金额总数才区区100 000美元，但我希望它能帮助我继续履行我们结婚时我所说的照顾你一生一世的诺言。我不能再陪你一起度过你的余生，但我希望保险金额里的钱能够帮助我实现照顾你后半生的愿望，就像我活着那样照顾你。我也想让你知道，我会一直在你的周围，在你的身边。我爱你！”
Tears flowed like river.
泪水如决堤的河流般奔涌而出。
When you love someone, let them know. You never know what will happen the next minute. Learn to build a life together. Learn to love each other for who they are, not what they are.
当你爱着一个人的时候，就让他知道。因为你永远不知道下一分钟将会发生什么事。学会一起生活，学会相爱，不为他们是你的什么，而为他们是你的谁。
