GrowingUp1Fiftyyearsagoparentsstillaskedboysiftheywantedtogrowuptobepresident,andaskeditnotjokinglybutseriously.Manyparentswhowerehardlymorethanpaupersstillbelievedtheirsonscoulddoit.AbrahamLincolnhaddoneit.Wewereonlysixty-fiveyearsfromLincoln.ManyofgrandfatherwhowalkedamonguscouldremeberLincoln.Menofgrandfatherlyageweretheworstforaskingifyouwantedtogrowuptobepresident.Asurprisingnumberoflittleboyssaidyesandmeantit.五十年前父母大都会问男孩子们长大后想不想当总统，问这话时一本正经，并非开玩笑。许多穷得跟乞丐似的父母也仍然相信他们的孩子能当上总统。亚伯拉罕・林肯就做到了。我们与林肯那个时代仅仅差65年。依然健在的许多爷爷辈的人还能记得林肯时代。就是他们最喜欢问你长大后想不想当总统。回答说想当的小男孩数量多得惊人，而且他们是当真的。2Iwasaskedmanytimesmyself.No,Ididn’twanttogrowuptobepresident.Mymotherwaspresentduringoneoftheseinterrogations.Anelderlyuncle,havingposedtheusualquestionandexposedmylackofinterestinthepresidency,asked,“Well,whatdoyouwanttobewhenyougrowup.我就曾经被问过多次。我会回答说不，我长大后不想当总统。有一个年纪大的叔叔，当着母亲的面向我提出这个问烂了的问题，发现了我对当总统不感兴趣，他就接着又问：“那你长大了想干什么呢？”3Ilovedtopickthroughtrashpilesandcollectemptybottles,tincanswithprettylabels,anddiscardedmagazines.Themostdesirablejobonearthspranginstantlytomind.“Iwanttobeagarbageman,”Isaid.我那时喜欢到垃圾堆上去拣东西，收集空瓶子、有漂亮标签的罐子和废弃的杂志。世界上最吸引我的工作立刻浮现在我的脑子里。“我想当一个垃圾工。”我说道。4Myunclesmiled,butmymotherhadseenthefirstdistressingevidenceofabumpbuddingonalog.“Havealittlegumption,Russell,”shesaid.HercallingmeRussellwasasignalofunhappiness.WhensheapprovedofmeIwasalways“Buddy”.叔叔听后笑了，而母亲却觉察到了我那呆头呆脑的苗头，不免伤心。“有点上进心吧，拉塞尔。”她说道。她叫我“拉塞尔”表明她不高兴，因为她夸我的时候总是叫我“小家伙”。5WhenIturnedeightyearsoldshedecidedthatthejobofstartingmeontheroadtowardmakingsomethingofmyselfcouldnolongerbesafelydelayed,“Buddy,”shesaidoneday,“Iwantyoutocomehomerightafterschoolthisafternoon.Somebody’scomingandIwantyoutomeethim.”转眼间我长到了八岁，她觉得我得找个工作，开始踏上那条让我自己成就点什么的道路，而不能再四平八稳地坐失良机了。“巴迪”，有一天她跟我说，“今天放学后马上回家。有人要来，我要你见见他。”6WhenIburstinthatafternoonshewasinconferenceintheparlorwithanexecutiveoftheCurtisPublishingCompany.Sheintroducedme.Hebentlowfromthewaistandshookmyhand.Wasittrueasmymotherhadtoldhim,heasked,thatIlongerfortheopportunitytoconquertheworldofbusiness?那天下午我冲进家门的时候，她正在客厅里跟柯蒂斯出版公司的一个负责人谈话。他把我介绍给他。他弯下腰和我握了握手，问我是不是像母亲说的那样渴望获得进入商界的机会。7MymotherrepliedthatIwasblessedwithararedeterminationtomaketosucceedinbusiness.”母亲在一旁忙说我决意要使自己成为一个有所成就的人。8“That’sright,”Isaid.“是的。”我低声说。9“Buthaveyougotthegrit,thecharacter,thenever-say-quitspiritittakestosucceedinbusiness.”“那么，你是否具备在商业上获得成功所需要的刚强、勇气和绝不放弃的精神呢？”10MymothersaidIcertainlydid.母亲回答说我当然具备。11“That’sright,”Isaid.“是的。”我说。12Heeyedmesilentlyforalongpause,asthoughweighingwhetherIcouldbetrustedtokeephisconfidence,thenspokeman-to-man.Beforetakingacrucialstep,hesaid,hewantedtoadvisemethatworkingfortheCurtisPublishingCompanyplacedenormousresponsibilityonayoungman....
