My Riveting Lecture
我的吸引人的课程
While putting myself through college, I worked several summers as the rifle-range instructor at a Boy Scout camp.
在完成大学学业的时候,我曾在一个童子军夏令营当过几个暑假的步枪靶场指导员。
Since these were true rifles, seriousness and safety were the rule.
因为这些是真的步枪,所以严肃和安全就是规则。
On the first day of camp, after giving a stern-faced 20-minute lecture on correct shoot-ing procedure,
在夏令营的第一天,在上完20分钟的关于正确射击程序的严肃课程之后,
I turned to my campers with a smug sense of a job well done and asked whether there were any questions.
我带着一种工作做得很棒的自鸣得意的感觉转向我的露营者们,问他们还有没有什么问题。
At the ready to impart more knowledge, I called on the Scout in back with the raised hand.
怀着传授更多知识的心情,我叫了一个后面举手的童子军的名字。
His question? "Are those the same shoes you wore last year?"
他问的问题?“你脚上穿的还是去年的鞋吗?”
Thank You for Your Service
谢谢你的服务
A group of uniformed servicemen was exiting a restaurant as I entered with a group of teacher friends wearing our school shirts.
在一群穿制服的军人从一家餐馆出来时,我和一群穿着我们学校的T恤的老师朋友走了进去。
I thanked them for serving our country, and as they walked away, I heard one say,
我感谢了他们为国家服役,他们走开的时候,我听见一个人说,
"They're the ones who work in a war zone full of runny noses, stacks of papers, and 1,000 questions a day.
“他们是那些在战区工作的人,那里到处是流鼻涕的人,他们要处理成堆的文件,每天要解答1000个问题。
I prefer my job!" Coming from a military family, I was both humbled and amused by our mutual admiration.
我还是喜欢我的工作!”我们对彼此的钦佩使出身军人家庭的我既受宠若惊又觉得有趣。