I hired a carpenter[木匠] to help me restore an old farmhouse. He had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire[轮胎] made him lose an hour of work, the electric saw[锯] quit and now his ancient pick-up[小卡车] refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me to meet his family.
　　As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.
　　When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation[变化]. His tanned[晒黑] face was wreathed in smiles[笑容可掬] and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
　　Afterwards he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of[战胜] me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
　　“Oh, that’s my trouble tree,”he replied[回答]. “I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing’s for sure, troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again.”
　　“Funny thing is,”he smiled,“when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there ain’t[口语，相当于is not] nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”
　　
　　我雇了一位木匠修理旧农舍。工作的第一天，他实在很倒霉：一条轮胎漏气了，导致他浪费了一个小时的工作时间，接着是电锯罢工，现在又轮到他的古董小卡车拒绝起动。在我开车送他回家的一路上，他像石头一样坐在那里，一声不吭。到他家后，他邀请我去和他的家人见面。
　　当我们向前门走去的时候，他在一棵小树前短暂停留了一下，双手摸着树枝端。
　　开门的时候，他顿时变成了另外一个人，晒黑的脸上绽放着笑容。他抱了抱两个年幼的孩子，并吻了妻子一下。
　　随后，他送我上车。我们经过那棵树，我经不住好奇心的引诱，问起他刚才的举动。
　　“噢，那是我的烦恼树，”他回答说，“我知道工作不可能一帆风顺，但有一点是肯定的，那就是这些烦恼不属于我的家人，不属于我的妻子和孩子。所以我在每晚回家的时候把它们挂在树上，早上再去取回。”
　　“有趣的是，”他笑着说，“当我早上去取的时候，我已经不太记得前一天晚上放上去的是什么了。”