A Chance of a lifetime

生命的机遇

"This is a chance of a life time," I declared to my friend Stacy as I locked the door of my office and left the restaurant I managed. "It’s every twenty-seven-year-old woman’s dream to live in New York City, and in a few months I’ll know if I get the transfer."

"这可是我生命中的一次机遇，"我对斯泰西说。说着，我锁上办公室的门，离开了我经营多年的饭店。在纽约生活，这可是每个27岁的女人所梦寐以求的.还有几个月我就可以知道能否获准迁入。

I watched the moonlight glisten on the waters of Laguna Beach. "I’ll miss it here, but living in the Big Apple is everything I’ve ever wanted - a dream come true."

我凝视着倒映在拉古纳湾水面上的月光。"我很留恋这里，可住在纽约是长久以来我心中惟一的梦想--如今，美梦就要成真了!"

We met a group of our friends at a local cafe, and I jabbered on about the possibility of my move. Laughter erupted from a nearby table. I watched as a handsome man captured the attention of his friends with his engaging story. His broad, warm smile and air of confidence held me in a trance. Stacy nudged me. "You’re staring,

在街上的一家小咖啡店里，我们遇到了一群朋友，我便和他们闲聊着我可能要走的事。这时，邻近的一张桌子爆发出阵阵笑声。我应声望去，看见一个英俊的男人正在给他的朋友讲一个引人人胜的故事。他那坦率、温暖的笑容和自信的模样让我不由地发怔。 斯泰西轻轻地捅了我一下，说道："嘿，米歇尔，你发什么呆，好像着魔了一样。"

Michelle, and about to drool." "Wow," I whispered. I watched the gorgeous guy push up the sleeves of his bulky sweater. Everyone at his table had their eyes fixed on him. "That’s the man I want to marry." "Yeah, right," Stacy droned. "Tell us more about where you’d like to live in New York, because we all plan to visit you there when you land this job. " As I spoke my gaze drifted back to the debonair man.

我看着那英俊的家伙卷起他那宽松外套的衣袖。他桌边的同伴都全神贯注地望着他。我轻呼道;"哦!那正是我要嫁的男人。""的确不错，"斯泰西说。"不过，还是快说说你在纽约打算住哪儿?要知道我们都打算等你工作定了去那儿看你。" 我回答着她的问题，目光却不由自主地移向那个神采飞扬的男人。

Three months later my friends and I gathered at the same restaurant. "To life in the Big Apple!" they cheered as we tapped our glasses together. "My chance of a lifetime!" We talked for hours. I told them of my plan to save money by moving out of my beach cottage and renting a room for the few remaining months. Our friend offered, "I have a fellow South African friend who is considering renting one of the four bedrooms in his house. His name is Barry. A great guy." He scribbled on a napkin. "This is his number. He’s a forty-two-year-old confirmed bachelor. Says he’s much too busy being a single dad to be a husband."

三个月后，我和朋友又相聚在同一家餐厅里。我们互相碰杯，欢呼道："为了纽约的新生活!"我们聊了几个小时，我总说这是我生命中的一次机遇。我告诉他们为省钱我决定搬出海边的小木屋，准备在离开前的几个月内租一间房间住。"我有一个来自南非的朋友，"一个朋友主动提出，"他叫巴里，是个很不错的家伙。"" 这是他的电话，"他在一张餐巾纸上写下了号码。"他是个42岁坚定的单身主义者。他戏言自己忙于做一个单身父亲而没有时间再做丈夫。"

I made an appointment to see the room the same day. I approached the entrance of the spacious house, and the door opened. "You must be Michelle," he said. He pushed up the sleeves of his bulky sweater and flashed his handsome smile. It was the man from the restaurant months before --- the man I wanted to marry.

当天，我便预约去看房子。我正朝那所大房子走去时，门开了。"你一定是米歇尔，"他说着，卷起他宽松外套的衣袖，脸上漾起迷人的微笑。这不就是几个月前饭店里的那个男人--那个我想要嫁的男人!

I stood staring, my mouth gaping, hoping I wasn’t drooling.

我目瞪口呆地站在那里，希望自己没有失态。

"You are Michelle, aren’t you? " he said, coaxing me out of my trance." Would you like to see the room?"

"你就是米歇尔，对吗?"他打断了我的思绪，说道："你想看看房间吗?"

I followed him through a tour of the house, then accepted when he offered me a cup of tea. Barry had a sophisticated kindness about him and listened attentively as I chattered nervously about myself. His silver-rimmed glasses accented a few gray streaks in his dark hair. Soon, his warm, inviting smile put me at ease, and we spent the next two hours talking casually. Ultimately, I decided not to take the room and reluctantly bade him good-bye.

我便随着他参观了一下房子，并接受了他的邀请，喝了一杯茶。巴里沉稳而耐心，他专心地听我喋喋不休地谈论着自己。他那银镶边的眼镜使他深色头发中的几缕白发格外醒目。很快，他灿烂、热情的微笑令我放松。在接下来的两个小时里，我们随意地聊着。最后，我决定不租那房间，并依依不舍地和他道别。

The months went by quickly while I busied myself with preparation for the move. I thought of Bany often, but couldn’t consider calling him.

之后，我整天忙于搬家的事，几个月飞快地过去了。这段日子里，尽管我常常想到巴里，却不曾想过要打电话给他。

"I’m moving to New York in three weeks, "I said to Stacy as we walked out of my office and into the dining area. "As much as I’d like to see him again, it would only complicate my life.

一天，当我和斯泰西离开我的办公室走向饭厅时，我说："再过三个星期，我就要去纽约了，再见他一面，只会使我的生活变得一团糟。"

"Well, brace yourself for complications," Stacy muttered, then nodded toward the door. Barry, with his big blue eyes and engaging smile, walked into my restaurant.

"那么，就让它一团糟吧!"斯泰西低语道，朝着门那边点了点头。是巴里，他用那双蔚蓝色的眼睛望着我，脸上带着摄人心魄的微笑，走进了饭店。

"Hello," he said softly. "Do you have time to join me for a cup of coffee?"

"Of course." I tried not to gasp.

"你好，"他温柔地说道。"现在有空喝杯咖啡吗?quot;

"当然!"我试着不让自己窒息。