说出我的愿望

吕 琴

（湖北省恩施市第三高级中学）

Voicing My Wish

One evening,while writing the first draft of my book,Iattendeda writer’s group for feedback.There were so many people there that discussion was limited to just a few stories.When I arrived home,my thirteen-year-old sonshrugged offmy disappointment and asked me to read theexcerptto him instead.So Isettled intoa chair and read aroughdraft of my reflections on spending myallowanceas a nine-year-old child.

The experience I wrote about was ametaphorfor how choice and risk werehandledby a childaffectedbyalcoholism.Each week at Woolworth’s lunch counter,I dreamed of someday ordering abanana split.Above the countertwirledan umbrella with colorful balloonshangingfrom eachrib.The sign read: Pop a balloon and pay 1 to 63 cents!

Imagine paying one cent for a banana split! But I never had more than fifty cents,and Ishuddered at the thought ofWoolworth’s calling my parents for more money if I got the sixty-three-cent balloon,so I kept my wish to myself.I never thought of asking anyone for more money.It seemed way too risky,and risks were dangerous in a world where alcohol made evenbenignrequests subject torage.

Frankie sat at my feet,listeningintently,as I read the final sentences of the chapter.

Each week as I watched othersselecta balloon to pop,Ifantasizedabout proudlytaking my chance.But it never happened.Pink,blue,orange and yellow balloonscalled outto me,daring me,tauntingme and,eventually,defeatingme.Inevitably,when the waitressstrolledup to my spot at the counter and smiled,indicatingthat she was ready tojotdown my order,Imumbled,“I’ll take a Coke,please,”and thenturned my back onthe umbrella.

Frankie was silent.After thinking for a moment,he said,“So you never got the banana split?”A long discussionensued,and eventually he seemed to understand that it was my own belief that limited me.I never took the chance of voicing my wish.It was a pattern that took years to break.

The next morning,Frankie casuallyannouncedthat he was going out for a little while.When I asked where,he smiled and said,“I can’t say.”

My mother’sinstincttold me he wasn’t up to anything dangerous,so I agreed.Frankie left,and I busied myself upstairs packing for an upcoming camping trip.

In a short time,I heard the back door open and then the sounds of chairsscraping,kitchencabinets slammingandmuffledconversation.Soon my nine-year-old daughter Sarah announced throughgigglesthat I could come downstairs.“Eyes closed —except for stairs,”she said.

Once downstairs,Sarah held my hand and helped mestumblemy way through camping equipment and into the kitchen.

“Open your eyes!”Frankie and Sarah shouted inchorus.

I couldn’t believe what I saw.The kitchen table was covered ina pile ofballoons.Frankie walked up to me and handed me two quarters and a fork.His eyes were lit withanticipation.“Pop one!”

Tearswelled upin my eyes.Istared atthe balloonsin disbeliefand thenjabbedone.When it popped,Frankie and Sarah laughed as Ilet outa loud whoop.A piece of paper fell out of the balloon.I opened it andrecognizedFrankie’sawkwardscrawl.

“What does it say?”heprompted.“Fifty cents,”Iwhispered,toochoked upto speak loudly.

Frankie got business-like and asked,“Well,do you have fifty cents?”I handed him the two quarters he’d given me moments earlier.

“Okay then!”Frankie walked over to the refrigerator,pulled out a homemade banana split on a Tupperware plate and handed it to me.Mounds ofvanillaice cream were covered in chocolate sauce,Cool Whip and peanuts.Underneath it all was a banana,split in two.I hugged Frankie hard and kissed the top of his head,still sweaty from all the effort.My eyesstungwith tears as I held the banana split Frankie lovingly made to right an ancient wrong.

【出处】https://www.gogginroberts.com/voicingmywish

Published in Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul,and Chicken Soup for the Soul: On Being a Parent（Our 101 Best Stories）,and a New Leaf Press Collection Nobody Loves You Like Your Kids

全篇译文

在撰写我的书的初稿时，有一天晚上我去参加了一个作家小组的讨论活动，听取读后反馈。参加活动的人太多，只讨论几个故事就结束了。当我到家时，我13 岁的儿子对我的失望不屑一顾，让我读一段书里的内容给他听听。于是我坐了下来，给他读了我粗略完成的回忆录初稿中的一段，讲的是9 岁的我是怎么花零用钱的。

我是用隐喻的手法写的这段经历，讲了一个醉鬼家里的孩子如何面对风险，做出选择。每个礼拜，在伍尔沃斯的午餐柜台前，我都梦想着能点一个香蕉船。柜台上方有一把旋转的伞，伞骨上挂着五颜六色的气球。告示牌上写着：“气球戳戳乐！购物最低只需1 美分，最高63 美分!”

想象一下，花1 美分就能买一个香蕉船!但是我的零用钱从来没有超过50 美分。一想到如果我戳到63 美分的气球，伍尔沃斯会打电话问我父母要更多的钱，我就不寒而栗。所以我把我的愿望藏在了心里，也从未想过向任何人要更多的钱。这似乎太冒险了。面对一帮醉鬼，再合情合理的要求也会换来他们的暴怒。

当我读这一章的最后几句话时，弗兰基就坐在我的脚边，聚精会神地听着。

每个礼拜，看着别人戳气球，我都幻想着自己也能骄傲地一试身手。但这从未发生过。粉色、蓝色、橙色和黄色的气球召唤我，挑衅我，嘲弄我，最后让我一败涂地。每当女服务员走到柜台前，微笑着示意我点单时，我总是咕哝一句，“请给我一杯可乐。”说完便转过身去，不再看那把伞。

弗兰基沉默了。他想了一会儿，说:“所以你从来没有尝过香蕉船？”随后我们讨论了很久，最终他似乎明白了，真正阻碍我的是我的内心。我从来没有碰碰运气说出自己的愿望。打破这个模式，需要花费很多年。

第二天早上，弗兰基随口说要出去一会儿。我问他去哪儿，他笑了笑：“不告诉你。”

母亲的直觉告诉我，他不会做什么危险的事，于是我就同意了。弗兰基走后，我忙着上楼为即将到来的野营打包行李。

不一会儿，我听到后门开了，然后有人拖动椅子、翻找橱柜和私语。不久，我九岁的女儿萨拉咯咯地笑着让我下楼。她说：“走下楼梯后，要一直闭上眼睛哦。”

一下楼，萨拉就拉着我的手，牵着我绕过一堆野营装备，走进了厨房。

“睁开眼睛吧！”弗兰基和萨拉齐声喊道。

我简直不敢相信自己的眼睛。厨房的桌上堆满了气球。弗兰基走向我，递给我两个25 美分硬币和一把叉子，闪闪发亮的眼中充满了期待：“戳戳看！”

眼泪盈满了我的双眼。我难以置信地盯着气球，猛地戳了下去，气球爆炸时，我大叫了一声，弗兰基和萨拉哈哈大笑起来。一张纸从气球里掉了出来。我打开它，认出了弗兰基笨拙潦草的字。

“上面写着什么？”他提示道。“50 美分，”我低声说，嗓子哽咽得发不出声来。

弗兰基摆出一副生意人的模样，问道:“那你有50 美分吗？”我把他刚才给我的两个25 美分的硬币递给了他。

“好吧！”弗兰基走到冰箱前，拿出一个装在特百惠盘子里的自制香蕉船，并把它递给了我。香草冰淇淋堆得像小山一样，上面浇着巧克力酱、鲜奶油和花生碎，最下面是一根切成两半的香蕉。我紧紧地拥抱着弗兰基，吻了吻他因忙碌还在冒汗的脑瓜。他做这个香蕉船只是为了弥补母亲的一个尘封多年的遗憾。我端着它，任泪水刺痛双眼。

语篇解读

【文章题材】

本文的主题语境是“人与自我”中的“家庭生活”。主要内容：“我”小时候有个心愿，梦想着有一天能在伍尔沃斯的午餐柜台前点一个香蕉船。柜台上方旋转着一把挂着许多气球的伞。戳爆一个气球，就可以根据里面小纸条上的金额来抵付香蕉船，金额从1 到63 美分不等！但是我的零花钱从来没有超过50 美分，于是“我”就把愿望一直藏在心里。“我”的儿子弗兰基得知“我”从来没有吃过香蕉船，就悄悄地给“我”准备了一个惊喜，重现了“我”童年时伍尔沃斯柜台的场景，让“我”如愿以偿地得到了香蕉船。通过此事“我”明白了，愿望要表达出来，才会得以实现。

【选文依据】

本文选自（美）坎费尔德等编著的《心灵鸡汤·亲情系列》。母爱，是人类亘古不变的一个主题，本文通过描写日常生活中的小事充分展现了儿女们回报母爱的一份赤子之心。通过阅读此文，学生可以学会知恩、感恩。在阅读中渗透感恩教育，落实了立德树人根本任务。本文体裁为记叙文，文本难度适中，故事内容贴近生活，符合中学生认知水平，主题积极向上，可用于“读后续写”教学，具体教学设计详见“教学运用”板块。

语言积累

Ⅰ.Words for understanding（黑体单词为课标单词，其他认识即可）：

续表

Ⅱ.Read to appreciate: Fill in the blanks according to Chinese translations

1.不可避免地，当柜台的女服务员走到柜台前，微笑着示意我下单时，我总是咕哝一句：“请给我一瓶可乐。”说完便转过身，不再看那把雨伞。（读后续写之动作描写）

Inevitably,when the waitress _______ up to my spot at the counter and smiled,_______ that she was ready to jot down my order,I _______,“I’ll take a Coke,please,”and then turned my back on the umbrella.（Action）

2.一下楼，萨拉就拉着我的手，牵着我绕过一堆野营装备，走进了厨房。（读后续写之动作描写）

Once downstairs,Sarah held my hand and helped me _______ my way through camping equipment and into the kitchen.（Action）

3.他做这个香蕉船，只是为了弥补母亲的一个尘封已久的遗憾。我端着它，任泪水刺痛双眼。（读后续写之动作描写和情绪描写）

My eyes _______ with tears as I held the banana split Frankie lovingly made to right an ancient wrong.（Action+Emotion）

4.他闪闪发亮的眼中充满了期待。（读后续写之情绪描写）

His eyes ________ ________ with anticipation.（Emotion）

5.眼泪盈满了我的双眼。（读后续写之情绪描写）

Tears ________ ________ in my eyes.（Emotion）

6.“50 美分”我低声说，嗓子哽咽得发不出声来。（读后续写之动作描写和情绪描写）

“Fifty cents,”I whispered,too ________ up to speak loudly.（Action+Emotion）

7.粉色、蓝色、橙色和黄色的气球召唤我，挑衅我，嘲讽我，最后让我一败涂地。（读后续写之动作描写）

Pink,blue,orange and yellow balloons___________to me,_________ me,__________ me and,eventually,_____me.（Action）

Keys:1.strolled;indicating;mumbled 2.stumble 3.stung 4.were lit 5.welled up 6.choked 7.called out;daring;taunting;defeating

Ⅲ.Application of the key words: Fill in the blanks according to the Chinese sentences

1.我每次出席会议都发表了意见。

I’ve voiced my opinion at every meeting I’ve_____.

2.晚饭后，我们舒舒服服地坐在电视机前。

After dinner we ________ in front of the television for the evening.

3.校长很好地处理了情况。

The headmaster ________ the situation very well.

4.父母的离异使她深受打击。

She had been deeply ________ by her parents’ divorce.

5.他耸了耸肩，好像在说他对此无能为力。

He ________ his shoulders as if to say that there was nothing he could do about it.

6.有些时候，创作如此宏大的一部小说所面临的挑战几乎把她给难倒了。

There were times when the challenges of writing such a huge novel almost ________ her.

7.她向激动的观众宣布了比赛的获胜者。

She ________ the winner of the competition to an excited audience.

8.我20 年没见她了，但我还是一眼就认出了她。

I hadn’t seen her for 20 years,but I ________ her immediately.

9.她探过身去附耳跟他说了些什么。

She leaned over and ________ something in his ear.

10.当他哽咽着说出这几个字的时候，心在怦怦直跳。

His heart hammered as he ________ out the words.

Keys:1.attended 2.settled 3.handled 4.affected 5.shrugged 6.defeated 7.announced 8.recognized 9.whispered 10.choked

2.What does“the ancient wrong”refer to in the last paragraph? What message does the story convey?

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阅读小练

1.What did Frankie do when he learned that his mother had not got the banana split for not voicing her wish?

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答案和解析

1.Frankie imitated the scene at Woolworth’s lunch counter years ago,and prepared a surprise for his mother to get the banana split,making her wish come true.

2.（1）It refers to the fact that the author never took the chance to voice her wish.

（2）The story conveys it’s not a good idea to keep the wish to oneself.To voice the wish is a better choice.

教学运用

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150 左右。

One evening,while writing the first draft of my book,I attended a writer’s group for feedback.There were so many people there that discussion was limited to just a few stories.When I arrived home,my thirteen-year-old son got rid of my disappointment and asked me to read the excerpt to him instead.So I settled into a chair and read a rough draft of my reflections on spending my pocket money as a nine-year-old child.

The experience I wrote about was a metaphor for how choice and risk were handled by a child affected by alcoholism.Each week at Woolworth’s lunch counter,I dreamed of someday ordering a banana split.Above the counter spun an umbrella with colorful balloons hanging from each rib.The sign read: Pop a balloon and pay 1 to 63 cents!

Imagine paying one cent for a banana split! But I never had more than fifty cents,and I trembled at the thought of Woolworth’s calling my parents for more money if I got the sixty-three-cent balloon,so I kept my wish to myself.I never thought of asking anyone for more money.It seemed way too risky,and risks were dangerous in a world where alcohol made even gentle requests subject to anger.

Frankie sat at my feet,listening attentively,as I read the final sentences of the chapter.

Each week as I watched others select a balloon to pop,I imagined about proudly taking my chance.But it never happened.Pink,blue,orange and yellow balloons called out to me,daring me,laughing at me and,eventually,defeating me.As you would expect,when the waitress came up to my spot at the counter and smiled,indicating that she was ready to write down my order,I said in a low voice,“I’ll take a Coke,please,”and then turned my back on the umbrella.

Frankie was silent.After thinking for a moment,he said,“So you never got the banana split?”A long discussion followed,and eventually he seemed to understand that it was my own belief that limited me.I never took the chance of voicing my wish.It was a pattern that took years to break.

Paragraph 1:

The next morning,Frankie casually announced

that he was going out for a little while.________

Paragraph 2:

I couldn’t believe what I saw.________________

Key:

Paragraph 1:

The next morning,Frankie casually announced that he was going out for a little while.When I asked where,he smiled and said,“I can’t say.”In a short time,I heard the back door open and then the sounds of chairs scraping,kitchen cupboards slamming .Soon Frankie announced that I could come downstairs with eyes closed except for stairs.Once downstairs,he held my hand and helped me move in an unsteady way into the kitchen.“Open your eyes!”Frankie shouted in excitement.

Paragraph 2:

I couldn’t believe what I saw.The kitchen table was covered with balloons.Frankie handed me two quarters and a fork.I popped one and a piece of paper fell out of it,saying“Fifty cents.”“Do you have fifty cents?”,Frankie got business-like and asked.I handed him the two quarters he’d given me moments earlier.Then Frankie walked over to the refrigerator,pulled out a homemade banana split and handed it to me.My eyes stung with tears,holding the banana split Frankie lovingly made to right an ancient wrong.（155 words）