综合教程3课文翻译VIP专享VIP免费

Unit1SomethingforstevieItrynottobebiased,butIhadmydoubtsabouthiringStevie.Hisplacementcounselorassuredmethathewouldbeagood,reliablebusboy.ButIhadneverhadamentallyhandicappedemployeeandwasn’tsureIwantedone.Iwasn’tsurehowmycustomerswouldreact.Steviewasshort,alittledumpy,withthesmoothfacialfeaturesandthick-tonguedspeechofDown’ssyndrome.Iwasn’tworriedaboutmostofmytruckercustomers.Truckersdon’tgenerallycarewhobusestablesaslongasthefoodisgoodandthepiesarehomemade.Theoneswhoconcernedmewerethemouthycollegekidstravelingtoschool;theyuppiesnobswhosecretlypolishtheirsilverwarewiththeirnapkinsforfearofcatchingsomedreaded“truck-stopgerm;”andthepairsofwhite-shirtedbusinessmenonexpenseaccountswhothinkeverytruck-stopwaitresswantstobeflirtedwith.IknewthosepeoplewouldbeuncomfortablearoundStevie,soIcloselywatchedhimforthefirstfewweeks.Ishouldn’thaveworried.Afterthefirstweek,Steviehadmystaffwrappedaroundhislittlefinger.Withinamonthmytruckerregularshadadoptedhimastheirofficialtruck-stopmascot.AfterthatIreallydidn’tcarewhattherestofthecustomersthought.Hewasa21-year-oldinbluejeansandNikes,eagertolaughandeagertoplease,butfierceinhisattentiontohisduties.Everysaltandpeppershakerwasexactlyinitsplace,notabreadcrumborcoffeespillwasvisiblewhenSteviegotdonewiththetable.Ouronlyproblemwasconvincinghimtowaittocleanatableuntilafterthecustomerswerefinished.Hewouldhoverinthebackground,shiftinghisweightfromonefoottotheother,scanningthediningroomuntilatablewasempty.Thenhewouldhurrytotheemptytableandcarefullybusthedishesandglassesontothecartandmeticulouslywipethetablewithapracticedflourishofhisrag.Ifhethoughtacustomerwaswatching,hisbrowswouldpuckerwithaddedconcentration.Hetookprideindoinghisjobexactlyright,andyouhadtolovehowhardhetriedtopleaseeachandeverypersonhemet.Overtime,welearnedthathelivedwithhismother,awidowwhowasdisabledafterrepeatedsurgeriesforcancer.TheylivedontheirSocialSecuritybenefitsinpublichousingtwomilesfromthetruck-stop.Theirsocialworker,whostoppedtocheckonhimeverysooften,admittedtheyhadfallenbetweenthecracks.Moneywastight,andwhatIpaidhimwasprobablythedifferencebetweenthembeingabletolivetogetherandSteviebeingsenttoagrouphome.That’swhytherestaurantwasagloomyplacethatmorninglastAugust,thefirstmorninginthreeyearsthatSteviemissedwork.HewasattheMayoClinicinRochestergettinganewvalveorsomethingputinhisheart.HissocialworkersaidthatpeoplewithDown’ssyndromeoftenhaveheartproblemsatanearlyage,sothiswasn’tunexpected.Therewasagoodchancehewouldcomethroughthesurgeryingoodshapeandbebackatworkinafewmonths.Arippleofexcitementranthroughthestafflaterthatmorningwhenwordcamethathewasoutofsurgery,inrecoveryanddoingfine.Frannie,myheadwaitress,letoutawarwhoopanddidalittledanceintheaislewhensheheardthegoodnews.BelleRinger,oneofourregulartruckercustomers,staredatthesightofthis50-year-oldgrandmotheroffourdoingavictoryshimmybesidehistable.Frannieblushed,smoothedherapronandshotBelleRingerawitheringlook.9Hegrinned.“OK,Frannie,whatwasthatallabout?”heasked.10“WejustgotwordthatStevieisoutofsurgeryandgoingtobeokay.”sheresponded.“Iwaswonderingwherehewas,”saidBelle.“Ihadanewjoketotellhim.Whatwasthesurgeryabout?”12FranniequicklytoldhimandtheothertwodriverssittingathisboothaboutStevie’ssurgery,thensighed.“Yeah,I’mgladheisgoingtobeokay,”shesaid,“butIdon’tknowhowheandhismomaregoingtohandleallthebills.Fromwhat...