I’ve spent most of my career as a traveling salesman, and I know that there’s nothing lonelier than a bunch of salesmen eating their meals in a motel coffee shop.
One year, my five-year-old daughter pressed a gift into my hands. The wrapping paper was all twisted, and it was bound together into a shapeless mass by at least a mile of tape. I gave her a big hug and sloppy kiss—the kind that all daddies give—and proceeded to unwrap the little package she had bestowed on me. The contents hidden within felt kind of soft, and I was very careful not to cause any damage. With excitement radiating from her face, little brown-eyed Jeanine stood attentively beside me in her too-small pajamas while I completed the process of unraveling my surprise. A pair of black, beady eyes peeked out from their papery hiding place, then a yellow beak, a red bow tie, and orange feet. It was a stuffed toy penguin that stood about five inches tall. Attached to its right wing with still wet paste was a tiny, wooden sign, and a hand-painted declaration, “I Love My Dad!” Beneath it was a hand-drawn heart, colored with crayon. Tears welled up in my eyes and immediately I gave it a special place on my dresser.
Seldom did much time pass before I had to leave on another business trip. One morning when I was packing, I tossed the penguin in my suitcase. That night when I called home, Jeanine was very upset that the penguin had disappeared. “Honey, it’s here with me,” I explained. “I brought it along.” After that day, she always helped me pack, and saw to it that the penguin went in along with my socks and shaving kit. Many years have gone by since then, and that little penguin has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles all across America and over to Europe. And we have made many friends along the way.
In Albuquerque, I checked into a hotel, dumped out my bag and dashed to a meeting. When I returned, I found the bed turned down and the penguin propped up on the pillow. In Boston, upon returning to my room one evening, somebody had perched it in an empty drinking glass on the nightstand—it never did stand up that well.
Tile next morning I left it sitting in a chair. Again that night it was in the glass. Once, at New York’s Kennedy airport, a customs inspector coolly asked that I open my bag. And right there, on top, was my little pal. Holding it up, the agent quipped, “That’s about the most valuable thing I have seen in all my years on the job. Thank God we don’t charge tax on love.”
Late one night, after driving over a hundred miles from my previous hotel, I unpacked my luggage only to discover that the penguin was missing. Frantically, I phoned the hotel. The clerk was incredulous and a bit aloof. He laughed, saying it hadn’t been reported. Nonetheless, a half an hour later, he called back to say that my penguin had been found. The time was late, but not that late. I got back in my car and drove the couple of hours to retrieve my two-toned touring buddy, arriving near midnight. The penguin was waiting at the front desk. In the lobby, tired business travelers looked on at the reunion—I think with a touch of envy. A few of them came out to shake my hand. One man told me that he had even volunteered to deliver it to me the very next day.
Jeanine is in college now and I don’t travel as much anymore. The penguin spends most of its time sitting on my dresser—a reminder that love is the best traveling companion. All those years on the road, it was the one thing I never left home without.
我的绝大部分工作都是做驻外销售人员。当一帮销售员在汽车旅馆的咖啡店里吃饭时，我知道没有什么比这更孤独了。
那年，五岁的女儿往我手中塞了一件用皱巴巴的包装纸包好的礼物，还用一条至少约1英里长的带子缠得一团糟。就像许多爸爸那样，我拥抱了她，并深深地吻了她一下，接着打开了包装。里面的东西很柔软，我非常小心，怕把它弄坏。简妮穿着小小的睡衣站在旁边，眨着那双棕色的眼睛注视着我，满脸兴奋。我充满新奇地打开礼物。一双黑色的，圆鼓鼓的眼睛从包装纸里露了出来，接着就是黄色的鸟嘴，红色蝴蝶结和橘黄色的脚。原来是一只大约5英寸高的企鹅。右翅膀上贴着一个胶水还没干的小木签，上面是手写的字：“我爱我的爸爸！”字下方是一颗用蜡笔涂了色的心。我的眼睛湿润了，我立刻将这个小企鹅放在我柜子里的一个特别的地方。
准备我的下次出差，中间只有很少的时间。一天早上当我包东西时，我把企鹅扔进了箱子里。那天晚上，我给家里打电话，简妮正因为企鹅消失了而伤心，我赶快解释：“宝贝，小企鹅在爸爸这呢，我让它守在我身边。”那天之后，简妮常常帮我收拾行李，每次都记得把企鹅和我的袜子还有剃须用品放在一起。从那之后的许多年里，小企鹅伴随我穿越了几十万英里从美国到欧洲。这一路，我也认识了许多朋友。
在阿尔布科克，我住进一个旅馆，把行李倒了出来，就冲出去赶一个会议。当我回来时，我发现床已经收拾好了，企鹅靠在我的枕边。在波士顿，一天夜里，我回到房间，有人把企鹅放在床头柜的一个空玻璃杯里，它从来没站得这么稳。
第二天早上，我把企鹅放在椅子上。晚上它却又进了玻璃杯。有一次，在纽约的肯尼迪机场，一个海关巡视员漠然地要求我打开包。刚一打开，就看见我的小伙伴在最上面。巡视员拿起来，笑着说，“这是我的工作生涯中见到过的最珍贵的东西了。感谢上帝，对爱征税是无理的。”
一个很深的夜晚，从我先前的那个旅馆离开后驾车走了一百英里，我打开行李，却发现企鹅不见了。我疯狂地给饭店打电话。办事员很怀疑还带有一点冷漠。他笑着说没有人上报。即使这样，半小时后，他还是打电话给我说，企鹅找到了，时间已经很晚了，但不迟。我开车返回，几小时后，我重新拿到了我的有两种颜色的旅行密友，到达时已是半夜。企鹅在前台的桌上等着。有几个疲劳的出差人员在大厅里看着这场团聚，我想还有一丝嫉妒。有几个人过来跟我握手。其中一个说他本来主动要求第二天给我送过来。
如今，简妮已经上大学了，而我出差的次数也少了。多数时候，企鹅都在我的柜子里静静地呆着。提醒我，爱是最好的旅途伙伴。在外出差的这些年中，企鹅是我每次都要随身携带的东西。
记忆填空
1. The contents hidden felt kind of soft, and I was very careful to cause any damage. With excitement radiating her face, little brown-eyed Jeanine stood attentively me in her too-small pajamas while I completed the process unraveling my surprise.
2. Tile next morning I it sitting in a chair. Again that night it was in the . Once, at New York’s Kennedy airport, a customs inspector coolly that I open my bag. And right there, on top, was my little . Holding it up, the agent quipped,“That’s about the most valuable thing I have in all my years on the job. Thank God we don’t tax on love.”
佳句翻译
1. 简妮穿着小小的睡衣站在旁边，眨着那双棕色的眼睛注视着我，满脸兴奋。
2. 从那之后的许多年里，小企鹅伴随我穿越了几十万英里从美国到欧洲。
3. 多数时候，企鹅都在我的柜子里静静地呆着。
短语应用
1. …and it was bound together into a shapeless mass by at least a mile of tape.
at least：至少
2. Many years have gone by since then…
since then：从那时以来
