[翻譯]A Lesson From Harlan Chamberlain

A Lesson From Harlan Chamberlain



By TYLER KEPNER

Published : September 8, 2007 / The New York Times



It was a touching scene in Kansas City last night: Harlan Chamberlain watched his son, Joba, warm up before the seventh inning, and tears of pride streamed down his face. Pat Borzi, who is covering the series, has the story.

這是個發生在堪薩斯的感人故事 : Harlan Chamberlain看著他的兒子Joba在七局上半準備投球前在場上做著暖身動作, 這位父親驕傲的眼淚就這樣滑過了臉頰。



In August, I wrote a feature about the powerful bond between Harlan and Joba, who are not only father and son, but also best friends. Harlan, a single father, was stricken with polio as a child and reared Joba and his sister from a motorized scooter.

我在今年八月寫了一篇文章來描述Harlan和Joba這對父子間的親情, 除了是父子之外、他們更是彼此最好的朋友, 因為小時候罹患小兒麻痺而行動不便的單身父親Harlan, 隻手帶大了Joba和他的姊姊。



I thought this story would tell you a little about the man who raised Chamberlain, the lights-out Yankees reliever. I called Harlan on a Saturday morning, and he called me back around 7 that night. I took the call as I was getting my 5-year-old son ready for bed.

我想我接下來要講的故事會讓你對這位一手將洋基明日之星扶養長大的男人有多一些了解。



在某個周六早晨, 我撥了通電話給Harlan, 他在當天晚間七點左右回了我電話, 而接到電話的同時, 我正在哄著我那五歲的兒子上床睡覺。



I told Harlan to give me a minute, and I put the phone down. He could hear my whole exchange with my son as I kissed him goodnight and told him that I’d see him in the morning, but that I had to work now.

我請Harlan給我幾分鐘的時間, 然後將電話暫時放下, 這時的他可透過話筒聽到我和兒子互道晚安的所有對話, 我告訴我兒子趕快上床, 爸爸現在得工作了。



When I picked up the phone again, Harlan said, “I can tell you’re busy, so I’ll call you back.”

當我再度將話筒拿起時, Harlan這麼對我說, " 我知道你正在忙, 我等等再給你電話。"



“No, no, no, that’s O.K.,” I said. “We can talk right now. It’s no problem, really.”

"不不不...我並沒有在忙," 我連忙說著, "我現在方便說話, 真的。"



“Now, you’re going to listen to me,” Harlan said in a stern tone. “I want you to take care of that boy of yours, make sure he gets to bed O.K., and then you’re going to call me back. I’m not going anywhere, and trust me, taking care of him is a lot more important than talking to me.”

"你聽我說," Harlan語氣堅決地說道, "我要你現在好好去照顧你的小孩, 確定他安然入睡後再打電話給我, 我會哪也不去等你電話, 相信我, 好好照顧你的兒子比和我談話重要多了。"



Harlan Chamberlain worked for 27 years in a state penitentiary in Lincoln, Neb. I did as I was told. And when I called him back, he gave me all the time I needed.

我選擇照著在內布拉斯加州立感化院工作27年之久的Harlan的話去做, 然後當我事後回電給他時, 他言而有信地給了我足夠的時間完成訪問。



“We’re only with our kids for a very short period of time in their lives,” he said in our interview. “You should treasure and cherish every moment.”

"我們和小孩共度的時光就只有這麼短暫," 他在訪問中說道, "我們應該珍惜其中的每一分一秒。"



I’ll be back covering the Yankees on Tuesday in Toronto. Tomorrow, I’m taking my son to the Marlins-Phillies game, the first game he will see in the city where I learned to love baseball. It always feels strange to be away from the Yankees on a trip. But I know Harlan Chamberlain would approve.

我將在下周二前往多倫多報導洋基和藍鳥之戰, 而現在我要帶著我的兒子去觀賞馬林魚和費城人的比賽, 這將是他生命中的第一場球賽, 而比賽地點就在那個讓我開始愛上棒球的城市。對我來說, 在洋基客場作戰期間和球隊分開行動是個新鮮的體驗, 不過我想Harlan Chamberlain一定會支持我的決定。