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220.An unfortunate incident
第220课 一次不幸的事件
Working in restaurants as a waiter can take its toll on even the most tolerable person.
在餐馆做服务生工作，对最随和的人也会造成危害。
I'm a fairly tolerant guy, but I simply can't tolerate it when I'm thriving really well on the job,
我是相当宽容的人，但我就是无法容忍在自已工作蒸蒸日上的时候，
and then some party of titanic proportions leaves a small tip.
某个规模盛大的宴会团体却给一点点小费。
It's not that I'm so worried about money. I'm quite thrifty.
倒不是我关心钱。我很节俭，
I'm not threatened by the fear of going bankrupt or anything.
破产之类的可能性对我并没有什么威胁。
It's just that when I spend eight hours thrusting my way through the threadlike openings among the crowds at the restaurant,
只是当我花八个小时在餐馆的人群中挤过像线一样窄的缺口，
I feel I should be duly rewarded for my efforts, especially on a night when I am worn out from head to toe.
我感觉好像自己应该因为辛苦而得到应有的报偿，尤其是在从头到脚精疲力竭的晚上。
One such night I was on the threshold of quitting.
在一个与此类似的晚上，我快要打退堂鼓了。
I remember it well because I had just gotten the windows of my car tinted, which had cost me a lot.
我记得一清二楚，因为我刚刚给自己的汽车窗户：涂上颜色，花了我很多的钱。
The tide was high on the beach that night and I wanted nothing more than to rest in the watery sand after a hard day's work.
那天晚上海滩上的潮水很高，在一天的劳碌之后，我最希望躺在湿漉漉的沙滩上休息。
The beach lies on a tilt and from a certain vantage point you can see a far off island on a clear night.
海滩是在一个斜坡上，从某个有利地位可以在天气晴朗的夜晚看到远处的一处岛屿。
Ah, that tilted beach was on my mind that night, but a rude customer thwarted my plans.
啊，那天晚上，我心里一直惦记着那个有斜坡的海滩，但是一个无礼的顾客让我的计划受挫。
The customer was a bit drunk, and kept thumping one of the waitresses in her behind.
那个顾客有些醉意，在背后不住地痛打一名女服务员。
I'm not a timid guy, so I spoke up. "Leave her alone." I said.
我不是胆小之辈，于是我大声喝道：“放开她。”
The customer and I exchanged a few words I dare not repeat here, but it led to a fight.
我和那个顾客争吵了几句，当时的话我不便在此重复，但我们后来动起拳脚。
He hit me in the face and I gave him an even-toed kick in the groin.
他打在我脸上，我用脚尖踢中他的腹股沟。
I was bleeding a little, but nothing a few pieces of tissue couldn't take care of.
我流了一点儿血，但体内有些组织具有自行修复的能力，没有大碍。
Anyway, the police were called and things were settled.
终于报了警，事情得以平息。
But because the police questioned us for so long, I didn't have time to go to the beach.
但是因为警察盘问了我们很久，我没有时间去海滩。
There was a thunderstorm that night, anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter.
但是晚上来了雷雨，所以我觉得去不去无所谓。
The next morning I took a peaceful walk in the nearby mountains, surrounded by timber and a beautiful topography.
第二天早晨，我在附近的山间悠闲地漫步，周围是森林和美丽的地貌。
I soon felt better and went back to work that evening.
很快我感觉好多了，那天晚上又照常上班去了。
