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Today, we seem to behave worse to one another than we ever have before. What used to be common decency has become uncommon now. It seems that we have become a society where lack of consideration is the norm, where it is entirely legitimate to care only about oneself. This is a grim picture. Yet as members of society, couldn't we do something to make a change?
现在,我们彼此之间的行为表现似乎不如以前了。以前那些常见的礼节,现在已经很少了。缺乏关爱已经成为我们社会的常态。在这样的社会里,只在乎自己是完全合理的。这是一幅可怕的图景。然而,作为这个社会的一员,我们是不是需要做点什么来改变这个现状。
Uncommon Decency
非同寻常的礼仪
Harry Stein
哈里·斯坦
It was one of those days that mercifully seem to come to New York just once each spring, a day of rain so heavy that it obscured vision and rushed over gutters onto sidewalks.
那天正是那种每年春天幸亏只光顾纽约一次的天气:暴雨下了一整天,模糊了视线,雨水灌满了排水沟,冲到了人行道。
I was late, and more than a little annoyed; there was no shelter at the Seventy-sixth Street and Lexington Avenue bus stop, where I waited, and my umbrella, too, was threatening to collapse.
我迟到了,已经非常恼火,我在76街和列克星顿大道交界处的汽车站等车,那里没有候车棚,而我的伞也有点要撑不住的样子了。
Finally the bus arrived. I handed the driver my transfer, wiped the water from my glasses, and began to move toward the rear.
公共汽车终于来了。我把转乘车票递给司机,擦掉眼镜上的水,朝车尾走去。
Hey buddy, came the shout.
“嘿,老兄,”传来一声大喊。
I continued walking.
我继续走着。
Hey, you, get back here!
“嘿,说你呢,回来!”
I noticed a few pairs of eyes staring my way. "Are you talking to me?" I asked.
我注意到几双眼睛在朝我这边瞪过来。“你是在跟我说话吗?”我问。