Cold Winter, Warm Thoughts
暴風雪裡的“暖和”點子比賽
Are you OK? asked Daddy.
“你沒事吧？”爸爸問道。
Our car had slid off the country road into a snowdrift . A white world surrounded us-the snowdrift on my side, and the wall of blowing snow on Daddy's. Daddy tried to start the car. Nothing happened. "We're stuck," he said. "Well, who goes after Grandma's worrybox?" I sat on my hands.Daddy tweaked my nose. He climbed out and shut the door.
我們的車子偏離了鄉村公路，衝進了一個雪堆。一個雪白的世界將我們包圍——我這邊是雪堆，爸爸那邊是呼嘯的飛雪，密集得如同一面牆。爸爸試著發動車子，但無濟於事。“我們被困住了，”爸爸說，“那麼，誰去找奶奶的應急箱呢？”我坐著一動不動。爸爸擰了一下我的鼻子，爬出車外，關上了車門。
The white wind swallowed him. I held my breath. I felt the thump of the closing trunk lid. When the door opened, Daddy handed the box to me. He sat down and tugged the door shut.
風雪吞沒了他的身影。我屏住了呼吸，然後聽到嘭的一聲——是關車後蓋的聲音。車門打開了，爸爸把應急箱遞給我。然後他坐進車裡，用力把車門關上。
The next time Grandma sends a worrybox with us because of bad weather, remind me to put it in the back seat, Daddy said.
“下次天氣不好奶奶給我們帶應急箱時，提醒我把它放在車後座。”爸爸說。
We pulled out Grandma's emergency supplies: a blanket, a fat candle inside a can, matches, a deck of cards, a banana, and two fruit and grain bars.
我們掏出了奶奶的應急儲備物：一條毛毯，一支放在罐子裡的粗蠟燭，一些火柴，一副紙牌，一隻香蕉，還有兩根水果穀物棒。
The white wind pounded the car as we settled in to wait for help to come. A slight draft cooled the inside air.
我們在車裡安頓下來等待救援，風雪則拍打著車身。一陣輕風吹來，車裡的空氣都涼透了。
Would the young lady care to snuggle ? Daddy wrapped the blanket around us and over our heads. He lit the candle. Its tiny flame flickered . A weak warmth filled our blanket tent.
“這位年輕的小姐願意和我緊靠在一起嗎？”爸爸用毛毯把我們的身子和頭都包了起來。他點著了蠟燭，微弱的火光忽閃忽閃的。毛毯裡暖和了一點。
We need to think warm thoughts, said Daddy. "How about a hot game of Go Fish ?"
“我們得想一些暖和的點子，”爸爸說，“玩個十分暖和的紙牌遊戲‘釣魚’怎麼樣？”
With mittens on, it was hard to hold the cards. And when you snuggle, it's easy to see the other player's cards—even when you're not trying to cheat.
戴著連指手套很難拿得住牌，而且就算你不是有意作弊，緊靠在一起很容易就能看見對方的牌。
I spread my last four cards across Daddy's lap. "I win!"
我把最後四張牌攤開放在爸爸的膝蓋上。“我贏嘍！”
We played eight more games. I let Daddy win half.
我們又玩了八次。我讓爸爸贏了四次。
Then we sang warm songs like "You Are My Sunshine". We clapped and stomped as the white wind swirled.
然後我們唱了幾首暖暖的歌曲，比如《你是我的陽光》。窗外風雪肆虐，我們一起拍手、跺腳。
When our teeth chattered , it just made the songs sound sillier. Then we were quiet for a while. Frost spread across the windows. When the wailing wind jostled the car, we snuggled tighter.
我們的牙齒冷得打戰，讓這些歌聽起來更搞笑了。然後我們安靜了一會兒。車窗上結了一層白霜。寒風呼嘯著向車子襲來，我們依偎得更緊了。
Will we stay here tonight? I asked.
“我們今晚要待在這兒嗎？”我問。
I don't think so, Daddy said. "Grandma knows when we left, and Mom knows when we're due home. They'll have people looking for us when the blizzard blows over."
“不會的，”爸爸說，“奶奶知道我們是什麼時候出發的，媽媽知道我們什麼時候應該到家。等暴風雪一過去，她們就會叫人來找我們。”
But while we wait, how about a warm-thought contest? Whoever thinks of the warmest thought wins this nutritious, delicious fruit and grain bar, said Daddy. "You start."
“不過在我們等待的時候，來個暖和點子比賽怎麼樣？誰想到最溫暖的點子，誰就能贏得這根營養美味的水果穀物棒，”爸爸說，“你先來吧。”
I thought. "Hot chocolate?"
我想了想，說：“熱巧克力？”
Pretty good, said Daddy. "What about... a sunburn on your shoulders?"
“很好，”爸爸說，“嗯……被曬紅的肩膀怎麼樣？”
I said, "How about ... wearing your furry robe and bunny slippers?"
我說：“穿著毛絨長袍和小兔拖鞋？”
And while you're wearing your furry robe and bunny slippers, Daddy said, "you're roasting hot dogs over a campfire."
“穿著毛絨長袍和小兔拖鞋的同時，”爸爸說，“還在篝火上烤著熱狗。”
And the campfire is on a sunny beach in California! Top that, Daddy, I said.
“而且篝火還是在加利福尼亞的陽光海灘上！想個更好的，爸爸，”我說。
Hmmm...got it! said Daddy. "The warmest thought of all time. Ready? Taking a swim in a pool of warm chicken noodle soup. And you're not allowed to hold onto the noodles or sit on the chicken chunks ."
“嗯……有了！”爸爸說，“有史以來最溫暖的點子。聽好了，在熱雞肉麵湯裡游泳，而且不許抓著麵條或者坐在雞塊上。”
I laughed. "You win this nutritious, delicious fruit and grain bar!"
我大笑著說：“你贏了，這根營養美味的水果穀物棒歸你啦！”
Daddy split it with me because I was runner-up . We saved the other one and the banana for later. It became quieter outside the car. Above, blue pierced the gray sky. Snowflakes as big as feathers drifted down. Now I could see the snow-topped fence posts on the other side of the road. Our fat candle wasn't very fat anymore. Daddy's nose was red and drippy . My toes stung .
爸爸和我共享了水果穀物棒，因為我是亞軍。我們留著另一根水果穀物棒和那根香蕉一會兒再吃。車外漸漸安靜下來。車頂上藍色的光芒撕開了灰濛濛的天空。雪花如鵝毛般紛紛揚揚地飄落。現在我可以看到路的另一邊被積雪覆蓋的柵欄欄杆。我們的粗蠟燭已經不那麼粗了。爸爸的鼻子紅紅的，流著鼻涕。我的腳指頭也凍得生疼。
It shouldn't be too much longer now, Daddy said.
“我們應該不會等太久了，”爸爸說。
I don't think I can wait much longer. A tear rolled from my eye.
“我想我再也等不下去了，”我說著，一滴眼淚滾了下來。
Daddy wrapped me in the blanket and lifted me onto his lap. He lowered his cheek to mine. He hummed until his voice cracked . Sunlight fought its way through the clouds and filled our car. It warmed the air a little.
爸爸用毛毯把我包住，抱到了他的膝蓋上。他低頭貼近我的臉，低聲給我哼著曲子，一直哼到嗓子啞了。陽光終於穿透了雲層，灑滿我們的車廂，車裡的空氣也暖和了一點。
Then-red and blue, red and blue. The county sheriff's department had found us! We got in the police car. It was so warm I took off my hat and mittens. After a while, Daddy did, too. The deputy gave us each a cup of hot chocolate.
接下來，我們看到紅光和藍光交替閃爍的車燈。縣治安部門找到了我們！我們上了警車。車裡那麼暖和，於是我摘掉了帽子和手套。過了一會兒，爸爸也摘了。副警長給我們每人一杯熱巧克力。
Daddy? I want one more chance at the warm-thought contest. OK?
“爸爸，我想再來一次暖和點子比賽，行嗎？”
He nodded.
爸爸點了點頭。
Being in a warm car, drinking hot chocolate, with you as my snuggle partner.
“坐在溫暖的車裡，和你——我相依相偎的夥伴——喝著熱巧克力。”
Daddy smiled and kissed my forehead. "I owe you a fruit and grain bar, young lady."
爸爸微笑著親吻了我的額頭，說：“我欠你一根水果穀物棒，年輕的小姐。”
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