The Day Mother Cried

    Coming home from school that dark winter's day so long ago,I was filled with anticipation. I had a new issue of my favorite sports magazine tucked under my arm,and the house to myself.Dad was at work,my sister was away,and mother wouldn't be home from her new job for an hour.I bounded  up the steps, burst into the living room and flopped on a light.

    多年前那个阴暗的冬日，我放学回家，心怀一份期盼。腋下夹着一本新到的我最喜欢的体育杂志，希望家里不会有别人。爸爸在上班，妹妹不在家，妈妈有了新的工作，一个小时之内不会回来。我跳上台阶，闯入客厅，“啪”地一声打开灯。

    I was shocked into stillness by what I saw mother, pulled into a tight ball with her face in her hands,sat at the far end of the couch.she was cring.I had never seen her cry.

    我顿时被眼前的场面惊呆了。只见妈妈身子紧缩成一团，双手掩面，坐在沙发的一角。她在哭。我以前从没见过她哭。

    I approached cautiously and touched her shoulder."mother?" I said."what's happened?"

    我小心翼翼地走上前去，碰了碰她的肩膀。我问：“妈妈，发生了什么事吗”

   She took a long breath and managed a weak smile."It's nothing,really.nothing important.Just that I'm going to lose this mew job.I can't type fast enough.""But you've only been there three days," I said. "You'll catch on."I was repeating a line she had spoken to me a hundred times when I was having trouble learning to do something important to me.

    她长长地吸了一口气，勉强挤出一丝笑容。“没什么，真的。没什么要紧的。只不过我这份新工作要保不住了。我打字不够快。”她说。“可是你才干三天啊”我说。“你会干好的。”后面这句话是我借用她的口头禅。每当我学做重要的事情遇到困难时，她总是对我说这句话，说了不下一百次。