Track 9

by Bob Perks

翻译：箐舞

Running Through the Rain

Track 9

by Bob Perks

翻译：箐舞

She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old， this beautiful brown haired，1）freckle faced image of2）innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that3）gushes over the top of rain4）gutters， so much in a hurry to hit the Earth it has no time to flow down the5）spout.

We all stood there under the6）awning and just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited，some patiently， others7）irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always8）mesmerized by rainfall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running，9）splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in， as a10）reprieve from the worries of my day. Her voice was so sweet as it broke the11）hypnotic trance we were all caught in.

“Mom， let’s run through the rain！” she said.

“What？” Mom asked.

“Let’s run through the rain！” She repeated.

“No， honey. We’ll wait until it slows down a bit，” Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: “Mom， let’s run through the rain！”

“We’ll get12）soaked if we do，” Mom said.

“No， we won’t， Mom. That’s not what you said this morning，” the young girl said as she13）tugged at her Mom’s arm.

“This morning？ When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet？”

“Don’t you remember？ When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer， you said， ‘If God can get us through this， he can get us through anything！’”

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn’t hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.

Mom thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and14）scold her for being silly. Some might even15）ignore what was said. But this was a moment of16）affirmation in a young child’s life. A time when innocent trust can grow into faith.

“Honey， you are right. Let’s run through the rain！ If God let us get wet， well maybe we just needed washing，” Mom said.

Then they ran off.

We all stood watching， smiling and laughing as they quickly ran past the cars and through the17）puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads， trying to keep off the rain. They got soaked.

But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes， I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

1） freckle ［ˑfrekəl］ n. 雀斑

2） innocence ［ˑɪnəsəns］ n. 天真，单纯innocent ［ˑɪnəsənt］ adj. 天真的，单纯的

3） gush ［gʌʃ］ v. 涌出

4） gutter ［ˑgʌtə］ n. 檐槽，排水沟

5） spout ［spaʊt］ n. 落水管

6） awning ［ˑɔːnɪŋ］ n. 遮阳篷，雨篷

7） irritate ［ˑɪrɪteɪt］ v. 激怒，使急躁

8） mesmerize ［ˑmezməraɪz］ v. 迷住，催眠

9） splash ［splæʃ］ v. 溅湿

10） reprieve ［rɪˑpriːv］ n. 暂缓，暂时减轻

11） hypnotic trance （心理学上的）催眠性沉睡

12） soaked ［səʊkt］ adj. 浸透的

13） tug ［tʌg］ v. 用力拉

14） scold ［skəʊld］ v. 责备

15） ignore ［ɪgˑnɔː］ v. 不理睬，忽视

16） affirmation ［æfəˑmeɪʃən］ n. 肯定

17） puddle ［ˑpʌdəl］ n. 水坑

她和妈妈刚从沃尔玛购物出来。她应该有六岁大了，一头漂亮的棕发，脸上长着小雀斑，一脸天真无邪。外面下着倾盆大雨。暴雨溢满屋顶的雨水檐槽，来不及顺着落水管流下就直接倾注到地上。

我们都站在沃尔玛大门的遮雨篷下。我们都在等待着。有的人耐心十足，有的人烦躁不已，因为大自然给他们本就忙碌的一天添了乱。雨天总是让我心醉沉迷。我出神地听着、看着上天冲刷洗涤这世界的污垢与尘埃。儿时无忧无虑地在雨中奔跑玩水的记忆汹涌而至，暂时缓解了我一天的焦虑。一个甜美的声音打破了这令人昏昏欲睡的氛围。

“妈妈，让我们在雨中奔跑吧！”她说。

“什么？”妈妈问。

“让我们在雨中奔跑吧！”她重复道。

“不，宝贝。我们等雨小一点再走，”妈妈回答道。

小女孩等了一会儿又说：“妈妈，让我们在雨中奔跑吧！”

“那样我们会被淋湿的，”妈妈说。

“不，我们不会的，妈妈。你今天早上不是这么和我说的，”小女孩一边说一边拽着妈妈的胳膊。

“今天早上？我什么时候说过我们在雨中奔跑不会被淋湿的？”

“你不记得了吗？你和爸爸在谈论他的癌症时，你不是说过‘如果上帝让我们闯过这一关，那我们就没有什么过不去的！’”

人群陷入了一片死寂。我发誓，除了雨声，你什么都听不到。所有人都沉默地站着。接下来的几分钟里，没有一个人进出。

妈妈停了一下，思索着该说些什么。对此有的人会一笑置之，责备这孩子不懂事，有的人甚至可能不去理睬她说的话。但这是一个小孩一生中需要被肯定的时刻，一个纯粹的信任能发展成信念的时刻。

“宝贝，你说得对。让我们在雨中奔跑吧！如果上帝让我们淋湿了，那也许只是我们的确需要冲洗一下，”妈妈说道。

然后她们就冲进雨中。

我们站在那里，笑着看她们飞快地跑过（停着的）汽车、跑过水坑。她们把购物袋举过头顶想试着挡挡雨，但还是被淋湿了。

有好几个人像孩子般尖叫着、大笑着，也跟着冲了出去，跑向自己的车子。

当然，我也这样做了。我冲进雨里，被雨淋湿。我需要接受洗礼。