Last Dance… Last Chance
最後一次跳舞
My father was an ill-humored man. I knew he loved me and his love was deep. He just didn't know how to express it.
父親的脾氣不是很好?我知道父親愛我，而且愛得很深，他只不過是不知道如何表達而已?
One evening we went out for a night on the town. We were sitting in an elegant restaurant that had a small but lively band. When it struck up a familiar waltz tune I decided to invite him for a dance.
一天晚上，我們一起到市中心逛逛，我們坐在了一家優雅的餐館裡，餐館裡有一支很活躍的小樂隊?當樂隊奏起一首熟悉的華爾茲舞曲時，我決定請父親跳舞?
"Dad, you know I've never ever danced with you. I begged you but you never wanted to. How about right now?"
“爸爸!你知道，我從來沒有跟您跳過舞?我請求過您，但您從來不願意!現在怎麼樣？”
I waited for the usual refusal. But instead he considered me thoughtfully and then a surprising twinkle appeared in his eye, "Let's hit the floor and I'll show you just what kind of moves an old guy like me can still make."
我以為父親會像往常一樣拒絕我?但沒想到的是，父親卻若有所思地看著我，眼神裡閃現出令我驚訝的光芒?“讓我們試試看，讓你看看我這個老傢伙還能跳出什麼樣的舞步!”
My father took me in his arms and I felt overcome by emotion.
父親用雙臂擁抱著我，我心裡一陣感動?
As we danced I looked up at my father intently but he avoided my gaze.
跳舞的時候，我專注地看著父親,但他卻躲避著我的凝視?
"Dad," I finally whispered, tears in my eyes, "Why is it so hard for you to look at me?" At last his eyes dropped to my face and he studied me intently. "Because I love you so much," he whispered back. I was struck dumb by his response. It wasn't what I had anticipated. But it was of course exactly what I needed to hear. His own eyes were misty and he was blinking.
“爸爸!”我終於眼含著淚水，低聲說，“為什麼您看我一下就這麼難?”他的眼神終於落在了我臉上，認真地看著我?“因為我太愛你了，”他輕聲回答。父親的回答讓我驚訝得說不出話來?這不是我所預料的，但卻是我最想聽的?父親的眼睛也模糊了，不停地眨著眼睛?
I had always known that he loved me. I just hadn't understood that his vast emotion had frightened him and made him mute. "I love you too, Dad!" I whispered back softly. He stumbled over the next few words: "I'm sorry that I'm not demonstrative. It's hard for me, but just remember how much I love you."
我一直都知道他是愛我的。只是從來沒有想到他寬厚的情感竟然讓他感到害怕，讓他不敢表達自己?“我也愛你，爸爸?”我輕聲地說?他結結巴巴地說出了下面的話：“對不起，我不善表達。對我來說太難了，但是要記住我真的很愛你?”
When the dance ended I excused myself to the ladies' room and during my absence everything changed.
舞曲結束後，我藉口去了一趟洗手間?就在我離開的時候，一切都變了
When I came back, Dad was slumped in his chair ashen gray. Everything was really all too late. He was gone.
等我回來的時候，父親癱倒在椅子上，面色灰白?一切都為時已晚，他走了?
That night all I saw was his slumped body and ashen face. But it's a totally different scene that I remember now. I remember our waltz on the dance floor and his sudden confession to me. I remember him saying "I love you" and my saying it back.
那天晚上，我看到的就是他癱倒的身體和灰白的面孔?但現在我所記起的卻完全是另外一幅情景?我記得我們在舞池裡跳華爾茲，記得他突然對我表白他對我的感情?我記得他說“我愛你”，我也對他說"我愛你"?
It was indeed the first-last and only dance that I ever had with my father. What a blessing that we had the chance to say before it was too late. The three words live on forever long after we are gone, stretching into eternity.
那的確是我和父親跳過的第一場舞，也是最後一場舞?值得慶幸的是我們能在不算太遲的時候有機會表達我們的感情。即便在我們都離開塵世之後，那三個字也會永遠留存，成為永恆。
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