游余
“Strike2 three， you are out，” Billy shouted. “Man， you couldnt hit your way out of a paper bag.”
“三击，你出局了。”比利喊道，“伙计，你打球太外行了。”
Mike dropped3 the bat. No matter how hard he tried he just couldnt hit the ball. All his life he had loved the game of baseball， more than anyone had. But every time he got up to hit， he got nervous4. Why did he keep trying to play？ He started walking home.
迈克扔掉了球棒。不管他怎么努力，他都打不中球。他一生都热爱棒球运动，比任何人都爱得多。但每次他起身击球，就会紧张起来。他为什么一直坚持打球呢？他开始朝家走去。
He stopped at the Jacksons and picked up their daily paper. He walked into his house quickly and ran up to his room. All these jobs were beginning to pay off. Two， three， five dollars and one dollar and twenty-five cents. Yep， he had enough for a brand new 1999 Sammy Sosa rookie baseball card at last. Six dollars and twenty-five cents were exactly5 what he needed. He wasnt a good player himself but he did appreciate6 true talent7. Slowly but surely Mike was working on a baseball card collection. By the end of summer hed show all the guys his great collection. Tomorrow morning he would ride his bike up to Family Sports Cards to buy the cards. Mike could hardly wait.
他在杰克遜家停下来，拿起他们家的日报。然后他很快走进了自家的房子，跑向自己的房间。他打的所有工都开始有了回报，2美元、3美元、5美元、1美元25美分。是的，他终于有足够的钱去买一张崭新的1999年萨米·索萨的新秀棒球卡。6美元25美分正是他所需要的。他自己不是个好球员，但真的很欣赏真正有天分的人。虽然缓慢， 但迈克确实正在收藏棒球卡片。到夏天结束时，他会向所有人展示他那了不起的收藏品。明天早上，他会骑着自行车到家庭体育卡片店购买卡片，他都有点等不及了。
Mike jumped out of bed early， got dressed and made his bed. He laughed because he knew his mom would think hed lost his mind8. The sun was shining and it was a magical day. Mike ate his breakfast and even helped with the dishes. His mother looked at him. “OK， whats up？ Has the real Mike been replaced9 by a clean and tidy monkey？” she asked.
迈克很早就跳下了床，穿好衣服，铺好了床。他笑了起来，因为他知道妈妈会认为他疯了。天气阳光明媚，这是一个神奇的日子。迈克吃了早饭，甚至还帮忙洗了碗。他妈妈看着他，“好吧，怎么了？真的麦克被一只爱干净整洁的猴子替代了吗？”她问道。
“No， its me. Can I ride my bike up to Family Sports Cards？ I promise10 to stay on the sidewalk all the way. And I wont go and get any junk food either，” Mike said. His mom said at last， “All right， but brush your teeth before you go.”
“没有啊，是我。我能骑自行车去家庭体育卡片店吗？我保证全程都在人行道上骑。我也不会去买垃圾食品。”迈克说。妈妈终于说道：“好吧，不过走之前先刷牙。”
Mike gave his mom a big hug and raced to the bathroom. After he brushed his teeth， he put his money in his pocket and went out. What a great day！He saw an orange cloud in the sky. It was so beautiful. For some reason he felt like the cloud had eyes and that it was watching him. For no reason at all he said hello to the cloud and sang out loud.
迈克给了妈妈一个大大的拥抱，然后冲向洗手间。他刷完牙后把钱放进口袋里，然后就出门了。多棒的一天！他看到天空中有一朵橙色的云，非常美。不知为什么，他觉得那朵云有眼睛，一直在看着他。他没来由地向那朵云打了个招呼，高声歌唱起来。
He parked his bike in front of the store. The nice young couple who owned11 it knew him by name. They might be expecting12 him. But as he walked into the store he was taken by surprise. It was foggy inside. It smelled very different. Mike went back outside and looked at the parking lot. Yep， he was in the right store. He began walking over to the glass counter13. A gleam14 on the shelf almost blinded15 him. He kept walking but looked back. It was just an old used baseball. He didnt see anyone working here. When he stopped at the counter， the sparkle16 of that old ball flashed17 again. Then he heard an old man speaking to him.
他把自行车停在商店门前。那对可爱的年轻店主夫妇知道他的名字，他们好像正在等他。但当他走进商店时，他吓了一跳，里面云雾缭绕，闻起来很特别。迈克回到外面看了看停车场。没错，他来对地方了。他开始向玻璃柜台走去，架子上一道亮光几乎把他弄瞎了。他继续走，但还是回头看了看，发现只是一个旧的用过的棒球。他没看到任何人在这里工作。他停在柜台前时，那颗旧球又闪起来了。突然，他听到一个老人在和他说话。
“Whats your problem， boy？”
“怎么了，小子？”
Mike looked around and saw an old man sitting on a chair. “Oh， nothing， sir. I just wanted to buy a Sammy Sosa card.”
迈克环顾四周，看见一位老人坐在一张椅子上。“哦，没什么，先生。我只想买一张萨米·索萨的卡。”
“Does he play for the White Sox？” the old man asked.
“他为白袜队效力吗？”老人问。
“No， sir. He plays for the Cubs，” Mike answered. Everyone knew that， he thought.
“不是，先生。他在小熊队打球。”迈克回答。这个大家都知道，他想。
The old man slowly stood up. “My aching back，” he said. “The White Sox are the greatest team， you know？” He walked to Mike. He wore a very old hat with a large C on it. “You play ball？” he asked.
老人慢慢站起來。“我的背真疼！”他说，“白袜队是最伟大的球队，你知道吗？”他朝迈克走过去。他戴着一顶很旧的帽子，帽子上有一个大大的字母C。“你打球吗？”他问。
Mike said， “Yea， but not very good.”
迈克说：“打，但打得不是很好。”
“I was 0 for 28 one time and played bad at first years. But I was doing better and better. Yep， I played hard for twenty years. Cant give up in baseball，” he said. “You came here to buy something special？” he asked.
“我有一次0比28，而且开始几年都打得很差，但后来我打得越来越好了。是的，我努力打了二十年，打棒球不能放弃。”他说。“你来这儿是想买些特别的东西吧？”他问道。
“Yes， sir. Id like to buy that Sammy Sosa rookie card. Its right there on the first shelf，” Mike showed him the cards.
“是的，先生。我想买萨米·索萨的新人卡，就在第一个架子上。”迈克让他看那几张卡片。
The old man came over close to Mike and gave him the ball that had caught Mikes eye earlier. “How about a magic ball， instead18？” he said. “Six dollars and twenty four cents， just for you.”
老人走近迈克，把刚才吸引迈克目光的那个球递给他。“不如换成魔术球吧？”他说，“六美元二十四美分，只卖给你。”
“No， thank you. I must have Sammy，” Mike said， kindly.
“不用了，谢谢。我只想买萨米的卡。”迈克温和地说。
“Have it your way，” the old man said as he took out the card. “Thatll be six dollars and twenty five cents.”
“那随你便吧！”老人边说边拿出卡片，“六美元二十五美分。”
Mike took all the money out of his pocket. He started counting19. Oh no， he thought he was missing a penny. “All I have is six dollars and twenty four cents，” Mike said.
迈克从口袋里掏出所有的钱，开始数。哦，不，他想他差一分钱。“我只有6美元24美分。”迈克说道。
The old man put the card back in the bag. “I guess its the magic ball，” he smiled. He handed it to Mike. “You see this ball here， youll hit it and youll hit it good. Believe20 me， boy.”
老人把卡片放回袋子里。“我想你只能买魔术球了。”他笑着说，把球递给迈克，“你看到这个球，就一定可以击中它，还能打个好球。相信我，孩子。”
Mike gave him the money and took the ball. Mike examined21 it and it sparkled again. But it was old and it was dirty. He opened his mouth to ask for a new ball but the old man put up a hand.
迈克把钱给他，然后拿过球。迈克检查了一下，它又亮了起来，但还是又旧又脏。他张嘴想要一个新球，老人举起了一只手打断了他。
“Youll see，” he said as he turned and headed back to his chair. “I hit a homer22 when I was 75 years old. Everyone should believe in magic. Now， get out of here and go play some ball.”
“你会看到的。”他转过身回到他的椅子上说，“75岁时我打了一个本垒打。每个人都要相信魔法。现在，离开这里去打会儿球吧。”
Mike watched him sit down but the fog grew dense23 and he could hardly make out the old man. “Thanks for the ball. See you，” Mike said.
邁克看着他坐下，但雾越来越浓，他几乎看不清老人。“谢谢你的球，再见。”迈克说。
When no answer came， Mike left the store. Clean air took him by surprise and when he looked back into the store， it was so foggy that he couldnt see anything inside. He quickly began riding his bike home. He saw the orange cloud and it got smaller and smaller as he watched it. Then it went away. Mike thought this was the most special day of his life， for sure！
没有人答复，于是迈克离开了商店。清新的空气让他清醒了一下，当他回头看那家商店时，雾太大了，他看不到里面的一切。他很快就骑上自行车回家了。他看到了橘黄色的云朵，当他看着它时，它变得越来越小，后来就完全消失了。迈克想，这是他一生中最特别的一天，绝对是！
（英语原文选自：bedtime.com）
【Notes】
1. magical adj. 魔术的;有魔力的
2. strike v. 撞击;打;踢（球等）n. （体育中得分的）击球;（投球）未击中;（投出的）好球
3. drop adj. 神经的;紧张不安的
5. exactly vt. 欣赏
7. talent n. 理智，精神;智力
9. replace vt. 允诺，许诺
11. own vt. 期望vi. 期待;预期
13. counter n. 微光;闪光
15. blind n. 闪耀;火花
17. flash adv. 代替;反而;相反
19. count vt. 相信;认为;信任
21. examine n. 本垒打
23. dense adj. 稠密的;浓厚的
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