A Chance of a lifetime
生命的机遇
8220;This is a chance of a life time, 8221; I declared to my friend Stacy as I locked the door of my office and left the restaurant I managed. 8220;It 8217;s every twenty-seven-year-old woman 8217;s dream to live in New York City, and in a few months I 8217;ll know if I get the transfer. 8221;
8220;这可是我生命中的一次机遇， 8221;我对斯泰西说。说着，我锁上办公室的门，离开了我经营多年的饭店。在纽约生活，这可是每个27岁的女人所梦寐以求的.还有几个月我就可以知道能否获准迁入。
I watched the moonlight glisten on the waters of Laguna Beach. 8220;I 8217;ll miss it here, but living in the Big Apple is everything I 8217;ve ever wanted 8211; a dream come true. 8221;
我凝视着倒映在拉古纳湾水面上的月光。 8221;我很留恋这里，可住在纽约是长久以来我心中惟一的梦想 8211;如今，美梦就要成真了! 8221;
We met a group of our friends at a local cafe, and I jabbered on about the possibility of my move. Laughter erupted from a nearby table. I watched as a handsome man captured the attention of his friends with his engaging story. His broad, warm smile and air of confidence held me in a trance. Stacy nudged me. 8220;You 8217;re staring,
在街上的一家小咖啡店里，我们遇到了一群朋友，我便和他们闲聊着我可能要走的事。这时，邻近的一张桌子爆发出阵阵笑声。我应声望去，看见一个英俊的男人正在给他的朋友讲一个引人人胜的故事。他那坦率、温暖的笑容和自信的模样让我不由地发怔。 斯泰西轻轻地捅了我一下，说道： 8221;嘿，米歇尔，你发什么呆，好像着魔了一样。 8221;
Michelle, and about to drool. 8221; 8220;Wow, 8221; I whispered. I watched the gorgeous guy push up the sleeves of his bulky sweater. Everyone at his table had their eyes fixed on him. 8220;That 8217;s the man I want to marry. 8221; 8220;Yeah, right, 8221; Stacy droned. 8220;Tell us more about where you 8217;d like to live in New York, because we all plan to visit you there when you land this job. 8221; As I spoke my gaze drifted back to the debonair man.
我看着那英俊的家伙卷起他那宽松外套的衣袖。他桌边的同伴都全神贯注地望着他。我轻呼道; 8221;哦!那正是我要嫁的男人。 8221; 8221;的确不错， 8221;斯泰西说。 8221;不过，还是快说说你在纽约打算住哪儿?要知道我们都打算等你工作定了去那儿看你。 8221; 我回答着她的问题，目光却不由自主地移向那个神采飞扬的男人。
Three months later my friends and I gathered at the same restaurant. 8220;To life in the Big Apple! 8221; they cheered as we tapped our glasses together. 8220;My chance of a lifetime! 8221; We talked for hours. I told them of my plan to save money by moving out of my beach cottage and renting a room for the few remaining months. Our friend offered, 8220;I have a fellow South African friend who is considering renting one of the four bedrooms in his house. His name is Barry. A great guy. 8221; He scribbled on a napkin. 8220;This is his number. He 8217;s a forty-two-year-old confirmed bachelor. Says he 8217;s much too busy being a single dad to be a husband. 8221;
三个月后，我和朋友又相聚在同一家餐厅里。我们互相碰杯，欢呼道： 8221;为了纽约的新生活! 8221;我们聊了几个小时，我总说这是我生命中的一次机遇。我告诉他们为省钱我决定搬出海边的小木屋，准备在离开前的几个月内租一间房间住。 8221;我有一个来自南非的朋友， 8221;一个朋友主动提出， 8221;他叫巴里，是个很不错的家伙。 8221; 8221; 这是他的电话， 8221;他在一张餐巾纸上写下了号码。 8221;他是个42岁坚定的单身主义者。他戏言自己忙于做一个单身父亲而没有时间再做丈夫。 8221;
I made an appointment to see the room the same day. I approached the entrance of the spacious house, and the door opened. 8220;You must be Michelle, 8221; he said. He pushed up the sleeves of his bulky sweater and flashed his handsome smile. It was the man from the restaurant months before 8212; the man I wanted to marry.
当天，我便预约去看房子。我正朝那所大房子走去时，门开了。 8221;你一定是米歇尔， 8221;他说着，卷起他宽松外套的衣袖，脸上漾起迷人的微笑。这不就是几个月前饭店里的那个男人 8211;那个我想要嫁的男人!
I stood staring, my mouth gaping, hoping I wasn 8217;t drooling.
我目瞪口呆地站在那里，希望自己没有失态。
8220;You are Michelle, aren 8217;t you? 8221; he said, coaxing me out of my trance. 8221; Would you like to see the room? 8221;
8220;你就是米歇尔，对吗? 8221;他打断了我的思绪，说道： 8221;你想看看房间吗? 8221;
I followed him through a tour of the house, then accepted when he offered me a cup of tea. Barry had a sophisticated kindness about him and listened attentively as I chattered nervously about myself. His silver-rimmed glasses accented a few gray streaks in his dark hair. Soon, his warm, inviting smile put me at ease, and we spent the next two hours talking casually. Ultimately, I decided not to take the room and reluctantly bade him good-bye.
我便随着他参观了一下房子，并接受了他的邀请，喝了一杯茶。巴里沉稳而耐心，他专心地听我喋喋不休地谈论着自己。他那银镶边的眼镜使他深色头发中的几缕白发格外醒目。很快，他灿烂、热情的微笑令我放松。在接下来的两个小时里，我们随意地聊着。最后，我决定不租那房间，并依依不舍地和他道别。
The months went by quickly while I busied myself with preparation for the move. I thought of Bany often, but couldn 8217;t consider calling him.
之后，我整天忙于搬家的事，几个月飞快地过去了。这段日子里，尽管我常常想到巴里，却不曾想过要打电话给他。
8220;I 8217;m moving to New York in three weeks, 8220;I said to Stacy as we walked out of my office and into the dining area. 8220;As much as I 8217;d like to see him again, it would only complicate my life.
一天，当我和斯泰西离开我的办公室走向饭厅时，我说： 8221;再过三个星期，我就要去纽约了，再见他一面，只会使我的生活变得一团糟。 8221;
8220;Well, brace yourself for complications, 8221; Stacy muttered, then nodded toward the door. Barry, with his big blue eyes and engaging smile, walked into my restaurant.
8220;那么，就让它一团糟吧! 8221;斯泰西低语道，朝着门那边点了点头。是巴里，他用那双蔚蓝色的眼睛望着我，脸上带着摄人心魄的微笑，走进了饭店。
8220;Hello, 8221; he said softly. 8220;Do you have time to join me for a cup of coffee? 8221;
8220;Of course. 8221; I tried not to gasp.
8220;你好， 8221;他温柔地说道。 8221;现在有空喝杯咖啡吗?quot;
8220;当然! 8221;我试着不让自己窒息。