Isn't it amazing how one person, sharing one idea, at the right time and place can change the course of your life's history? This is certainly what happened in my life. When I was 14, I was hitchhiking from Houston, Texas, through El Paso on my way to California.

如果一个人,在适当的时候和地方因为一句话而改变了他的人生历程,你会感到惊异和不可思议吗?然而这的确是千真万确的,它就发生在我14岁那年。那时,我正在从得克萨斯州的休斯敦,经由爱坡索市前往加利福尼亚州去的旅途中。

I was following my dream, journeying with the sun. I was a high school dropout with learning disabilities and was set on surfing the biggest waves in the world, first in California and then in Hawaii, where I would later live.

日出即行,日落即息,痴痴地追寻着我的梦想。我本来在读高中,也许我天生就不是读书的材料,因此我不得不中途辍学。随即我决心要到世界上最大的海浪上去冲浪,先准备到加利福尼亚州,再到夏威夷,然后我准备就在那里住下来。考试大论坛

Upon reaching downtown El Paso, I met an old man, a bum, on the street corner. He saw me walking, stopped me and questioned me as I passed by. He asked me if I was running away from home, I suppose because I looked so young.

在刚进入爱坡索市区的时候,我看到有一个老头,一个流浪者,坐在街道的拐角处。他看见了走路的我,当我就要从他的旁边走过去时,他拦住了我,并开口向我发问。他问我是不是偷着从家里跑出来的,我想他这么问我一定是看我太年轻,觉得我太嫩的缘故。

I told him, "Not exactly, sir," since my father had given me a ride to the freeway in Houston and given me his blessings while saying, "It is important to follow your dream and what is in your heart. Son. "

“不完全是,先生,因为是我爸爸开车把我送到休斯敦的高速公路上的,他还一边为我祝福,一边说:‘儿子,追寻你的梦想和心中的憧憬非常重要。’”

The bum then asked me if he could buy me a cup of coffee. I told him, "No, sir, but a soda would be great." We walked to a corner malt shop and sat down on a couple of swiveling stools while we enjoyed our drinks.

然后那个流浪者问我他能请我喝咖啡吗?我回答说:“不,先生,一杯汽水就可以了。”于是,我们走进街道拐角处的一家酒吧,坐在一双转椅上,喝着饮料。

After conversing for a few minutes, the friendly bum told me to follow him. He told me that he had something grand to show me and share with me. We walked a couple of blocks until we came upon the downtown El Paso Public Library.

在闲聊了几分钟后,这个和蔼可亲的老流浪汉要我跟他走。他告诉我说他有一样大东西给我看,要与我分享。我们走过了几个街区,来到了爱坡索市的公立图书馆。

We walked up its front steps and stopped at a small information stand. Here the bum spoke to a smiling old lady, and asked her if she would be kind enough to watch my things for a moment while he and I entered the library. I left my belongings with this grandmotherly figure and entered into this magnificent hall of learning.