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别人不会因为你多么富有而记得你，但会因为你给予的关爱而一辈子感恩。爱，是一把开启幸福之门的钥匙，是生命最优雅的姿态。如Michael Jackson在Heal the World（《拯救世界》）里唱的那样“Love is strong. It only cares of joyful giving.”，任何时候，请不要忘了给自己，给他人的生活加点爱，给爱加点巧克力。
——Lavender
1)Marble Trader
During the waning years of 2)the Depression
in a small southeastern 3)Idaho community, I used to stop by Brother Miller’s roadside 4)stand for farm-fresh produce as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce and 5)bartering was used extensively.
One particular day Brother Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, 6)delicate of bone and feature, 7)ragged but clean, hungrily 8)appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but 9)was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas.
I am a 10)pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. 11)Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Brother Miller and the ragged boy next to me.
“Hello Barry, how are you today”?
“12)H’lo, Mr Miller. Fine, thank 13)ya. 14)Jus”15)admirin”the peas... sure look good.”
“They are good, Barry. How’s your Ma”?
“Fine. 16)Gittin”stronger 17)alla”time.”
“Good. Anything I can help you with”?
“No, Sir. Jus”admirin”the peas.”
“Would you like to take some home”?
“No, Sir. Got 18)nuthin”to pay for 19)I’am.”?Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas”“
“Ill I got is my prize marble here.”
“Is that right” Let me see it.”
“Here 20)’tis. She’s a 21)dandy.”
“I can see that. Hmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I 22)sort of 23)go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home”?
“Not 24)’Zackley... but, almost.”
“Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble.”
“Sure will. Thanks, Mr. Miller.”
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said: “There are two other boys like him in our community. All three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, perhaps.”
I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to 25)Utah but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys and their bartering.
Several years went by each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.
They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon our arrival at the 26)mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the 27)deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts... very professional looking.
They approached Mrs. Miller, standing smiling and 28)composed, by her husband’s 29)casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.
Her 30)misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary, 31)awkwardly wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening she took my hand and led me to the casket.
“Those three young men that just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’hem. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size... they came to pay their debt.”
“We’vd a great deal of the wealth of this world,”she 32)confided, “but, right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.”
With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three, magnificently shiny, red marbles.
在经济萎缩的大萧条期间，我住在美国东南部爱达荷州的一个小社区，经常到路边“米勒大哥”的摊子上买一些时鲜的农产品。那个年代食物和金钱的交易很匮乏，实物交换很盛行。
有一天，“米勒大哥”正为我装一袋早熟的马铃薯，我留意到一个小男孩，他有着细巧的骨架和精致的五官，身上的衣服破旧但很干净。他如饥似渴地玩赏着一篮新采摘下来的绿豌豆。我付了马铃薯的钱，同时也挨近那些展示着的新鲜绿豌豆。
奶油豌豆和新鲜的马铃薯一向对我有吸引力。我一边考虑着要不要买豌豆，一边却又在情不自禁地窃听米勒大哥和我身旁那个衣着破旧的男孩之间的对话。
“你好啊，巴里。今天过得好吗？”
“你好，米勒先生。我很好，谢谢。我在欣赏这些豌豆呢，它们看上去真不赖。”
“可新鲜啦。巴里，你妈妈好吗？”
“她很好。身体一天比一天强。”
“太好了。想要点什么吗？”
“不了，先生，谢谢。我只想欣赏一下这些豌豆。”
“想带一些回家吗？”
“不了，先生。我没有钱。”
“那你有没有什么东西拿来和我换些豌豆呢？”
“我身上只有一颗很棒的弹珠。”
“真的吗？让我看看。”
“给，它可是很好的。”
“我看得出来。嗯……只可惜它是蓝色的，我倒是有点想要颗红色的。你家里有一颗像这样的红色弹珠吗？”
“不是十足的红色，但非常接近。”
“这样吧，你先带上这一袋豌豆回家，下次过来的时候让我看看你说的那颗红色的弹珠。”
“一定。谢谢你，米勒先生。”
站在一旁的米勒太太过来帮我的忙。她笑着说：“我们社区里还有两个像他那样的男孩子。他们三个都家境贫寒。吉姆喜欢拿豌豆、苹果、西红柿或者其它别的东西来和他们交换一些东西。当他们带着红色的弹珠过来——他们是从来不爽约的——米勒就会跟他们说他其实并不喜欢红色的弹珠，然后给他们一袋农产品带回家，让他们下次带绿色或橙色的弹珠过来。”
我离开了他们的摊子，暗自欣然，这个男人给我留下了深刻的印象。不久以后，我搬到了犹他州，但我从没忘记这个男人和这些男孩交换实物的故事。
岁月匆匆，转眼几年过去了。最近，我正好有机会拜访住在爱达荷州社区里的一些老朋友。当我到达时，听说米勒先生刚去世了。
社区里的居民准备在当晚去见他最后一面。我知道我的朋友都想去，因此决定和他们一同前往。我们一到达太平间就排起了队，见了死者的亲属，尽量安慰他们。
排在我们前面的是三个年轻人。其中一个穿着陆军服，另外两个留着好看的发型，穿着白衬衫和黑色的套装……一派专业人士的打扮。
他们走近米勒太太，在她丈夫的棺材前微笑而平静地站着。每个青年都拥抱了米勒太太，吻了吻她的脸颊，简单地和她谈了几句，然后走向米勒先生的棺材。
她一直用蓝色的迷蒙泪眼注视着他们。那三个青年挨个在棺材旁边短暂停留，用温暖的手摸了摸棺材里米勒先生冰冷而苍白的手。他们笨拙地擦拭着眼睛，相继离开了太平间。
轮到我们和米勒太太相见了。我告诉她我是谁，并提起她告诉过我的有关弹珠的故事。她眼泛泪光，把我领到棺材前面。
“刚才离开的那三个年轻人就是我当年提到的男孩子。他们刚才告诉我，他们当年是多么感激吉姆跟他们‘交换’的那些食物。现在，吉姆终于再也不能改口说他想要别的颜色、别的尺寸了……他们是来偿还感情债的。”
“我们从来不富有，”米勒太太说，“但倘若吉姆在世，他现在会认为自己是爱达荷州最富有的人。”
她温柔而充满爱意地托起死去的丈夫那毫无生气的手指。在手指下面，放着三颗流光异彩的红色弹珠。
编后语：
第一遍读这个故事时就很感动。吉姆不动声色的小小善举对于那些身处贫困的孩子却是那么的重要。想起了前段时间在《道德观察》节目里看到的一个真实的故事：一个司机在开车时意外撞倒了一个女人后逃离现场。因没得到及时的救治，这位伤者成了植物人，她的丈夫早些年已因病逝世。面临升中考的女儿毅然放弃了优异的学习成绩，到医院专心照顾妈妈，让弟弟继续念书。她的事迹传遍了整个镇，许多好心人都前来医院捐款。不久，医院里来了一个陌生女人，她跪地请求代替她的丈夫——那个肇事司机赎罪，满眼愧疚的泪。在后来的采访过程中，记者了解到，那个家里还有一对刚出生不久的双胞胎女儿的肇事司机是因为家里很贫困，心知自己无力支付伤者的医疗费用而在案发当时没及时自首。后来，这两夫妻拿出了自己的全部积蓄——几千元，并且跪向附近的街坊筹款救治那个母亲，他们每天都到医院照料伤者。他们说，是伤者女儿的坚强感动了他们。在精心的照料下，那位母亲终于恢复了部分知觉，日渐好转。而派出所也做出了人道裁决，判处肇事司机拿出自己的全部积蓄医治伤者，拿出自己的诚心照顾病人。
人心都是血和肉做的，不是冷冰冰的石头。其实任何的磨难都不会太难战胜，重要的是我们的心中要有爱，爱可以征服一切，可以创造奇迹。即使一贫如洗，只要还拥有着给予以及接受爱的能力，你就是幸福的。愿人与人之间少一些冷漠，多一份关爱。
注释
别人不会因为你多么富有而记得你，但会因为你给予的关爱而一辈子感恩。爱，是一把开启幸福之门的钥匙，是生命最优雅的姿态。如Michael Jackson在Heal the World（《拯救世界》）里唱的那样“Love is strong. It only cares of joyful giving.”，任何时候，请不要忘了给自己，给他人的生活加点爱，给爱加点巧克力。
——Lavender
1)Marble Trader
During the waning years of 2)the Depression
in a small southeastern 3)Idaho community, I used to stop by Brother Miller’s roadside 4)stand for farm-fresh produce as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce and 5)bartering was used extensively.
One particular day Brother Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, 6)delicate of bone and feature, 7)ragged but clean, hungrily 8)appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but 9)was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas.
I am a 10)pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. 11)Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Brother Miller and the ragged boy next to me.
“Hello Barry, how are you today”?
“12)H’lo, Mr Miller. Fine, thank 13)ya. 14)Jus”15)admirin”the peas... sure look good.”
“They are good, Barry. How’s your Ma”?
“Fine. 16)Gittin”stronger 17)alla”time.”
“Good. Anything I can help you with”?
“No, Sir. Jus”admirin”the peas.”
“Would you like to take some home”?
“No, Sir. Got 18)nuthin”to pay for 19)I’am.”?Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas”“
“Ill I got is my prize marble here.”
“Is that right” Let me see it.”
“Here 20)’tis. She’s a 21)dandy.”
“I can see that. Hmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I 22)sort of 23)go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home”?
“Not 24)’Zackley... but, almost.”
“Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble.”
“Sure will. Thanks, Mr. Miller.”
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said: “There are two other boys like him in our community. All three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, perhaps.”
I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to 25)Utah but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys and their bartering.
Several years went by each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.
They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon our arrival at the 26)mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the 27)deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts... very professional looking.
They approached Mrs. Miller, standing smiling and 28)composed, by her husband’s 29)casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.
Her 30)misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary, 31)awkwardly wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening she took my hand and led me to the casket.
“Those three young men that just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’hem. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size... they came to pay their debt.”
“We’vd a great deal of the wealth of this world,”she 32)confided, “but, right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.”
With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three, magnificently shiny, red marbles.
在经济萎缩的大萧条期间，我住在美国东南部爱达荷州的一个小社区，经常到路边“米勒大哥”的摊子上买一些时鲜的农产品。那个年代食物和金钱的交易很匮乏，实物交换很盛行。
有一天，“米勒大哥”正为我装一袋早熟的马铃薯，我留意到一个小男孩，他有着细巧的骨架和精致的五官，身上的衣服破旧但很干净。他如饥似渴地玩赏着一篮新采摘下来的绿豌豆。我付了马铃薯的钱，同时也挨近那些展示着的新鲜绿豌豆。
奶油豌豆和新鲜的马铃薯一向对我有吸引力。我一边考虑着要不要买豌豆，一边却又在情不自禁地窃听米勒大哥和我身旁那个衣着破旧的男孩之间的对话。
“你好啊，巴里。今天过得好吗？”
“你好，米勒先生。我很好，谢谢。我在欣赏这些豌豆呢，它们看上去真不赖。”
“可新鲜啦。巴里，你妈妈好吗？”
“她很好。身体一天比一天强。”
“太好了。想要点什么吗？”
“不了，先生，谢谢。我只想欣赏一下这些豌豆。”
“想带一些回家吗？”
“不了，先生。我没有钱。”
“那你有没有什么东西拿来和我换些豌豆呢？”
“我身上只有一颗很棒的弹珠。”
“真的吗？让我看看。”
“给，它可是很好的。”
“我看得出来。嗯……只可惜它是蓝色的，我倒是有点想要颗红色的。你家里有一颗像这样的红色弹珠吗？”
“不是十足的红色，但非常接近。”
“这样吧，你先带上这一袋豌豆回家，下次过来的时候让我看看你说的那颗红色的弹珠。”
“一定。谢谢你，米勒先生。”
站在一旁的米勒太太过来帮我的忙。她笑着说：“我们社区里还有两个像他那样的男孩子。他们三个都家境贫寒。吉姆喜欢拿豌豆、苹果、西红柿或者其它别的东西来和他们交换一些东西。当他们带着红色的弹珠过来——他们是从来不爽约的——米勒就会跟他们说他其实并不喜欢红色的弹珠，然后给他们一袋农产品带回家，让他们下次带绿色或橙色的弹珠过来。”
我离开了他们的摊子，暗自欣然，这个男人给我留下了深刻的印象。不久以后，我搬到了犹他州，但我从没忘记这个男人和这些男孩交换实物的故事。
岁月匆匆，转眼几年过去了。最近，我正好有机会拜访住在爱达荷州社区里的一些老朋友。当我到达时，听说米勒先生刚去世了。
社区里的居民准备在当晚去见他最后一面。我知道我的朋友都想去，因此决定和他们一同前往。我们一到达太平间就排起了队，见了死者的亲属，尽量安慰他们。
排在我们前面的是三个年轻人。其中一个穿着陆军服，另外两个留着好看的发型，穿着白衬衫和黑色的套装……一派专业人士的打扮。
他们走近米勒太太，在她丈夫的棺材前微笑而平静地站着。每个青年都拥抱了米勒太太，吻了吻她的脸颊，简单地和她谈了几句，然后走向米勒先生的棺材。
她一直用蓝色的迷蒙泪眼注视着他们。那三个青年挨个在棺材旁边短暂停留，用温暖的手摸了摸棺材里米勒先生冰冷而苍白的手。他们笨拙地擦拭着眼睛，相继离开了太平间。
轮到我们和米勒太太相见了。我告诉她我是谁，并提起她告诉过我的有关弹珠的故事。她眼泛泪光，把我领到棺材前面。
“刚才离开的那三个年轻人就是我当年提到的男孩子。他们刚才告诉我，他们当年是多么感激吉姆跟他们‘交换’的那些食物。现在，吉姆终于再也不能改口说他想要别的颜色、别的尺寸了……他们是来偿还感情债的。”
“我们从来不富有，”米勒太太说，“但倘若吉姆在世，他现在会认为自己是爱达荷州最富有的人。”
她温柔而充满爱意地托起死去的丈夫那毫无生气的手指。在手指下面，放着三颗流光异彩的红色弹珠。
编后语：
第一遍读这个故事时就很感动。吉姆不动声色的小小善举对于那些身处贫困的孩子却是那么的重要。想起了前段时间在《道德观察》节目里看到的一个真实的故事：一个司机在开车时意外撞倒了一个女人后逃离现场。因没得到及时的救治，这位伤者成了植物人，她的丈夫早些年已因病逝世。面临升中考的女儿毅然放弃了优异的学习成绩，到医院专心照顾妈妈，让弟弟继续念书。她的事迹传遍了整个镇，许多好心人都前来医院捐款。不久，医院里来了一个陌生女人，她跪地请求代替她的丈夫——那个肇事司机赎罪，满眼愧疚的泪。在后来的采访过程中，记者了解到，那个家里还有一对刚出生不久的双胞胎女儿的肇事司机是因为家里很贫困，心知自己无力支付伤者的医疗费用而在案发当时没及时自首。后来，这两夫妻拿出了自己的全部积蓄——几千元，并且跪向附近的街坊筹款救治那个母亲，他们每天都到医院照料伤者。他们说，是伤者女儿的坚强感动了他们。在精心的照料下，那位母亲终于恢复了部分知觉，日渐好转。而派出所也做出了人道裁决，判处肇事司机拿出自己的全部积蓄医治伤者，拿出自己的诚心照顾病人。
人心都是血和肉做的，不是冷冰冰的石头。其实任何的磨难都不会太难战胜，重要的是我们的心中要有爱，爱可以征服一切，可以创造奇迹。即使一贫如洗，只要还拥有着给予以及接受爱的能力，你就是幸福的。愿人与人之间少一些冷漠，多一份关爱。
注释