That Evening那个夜晚

游余

Arun was thirteen years old boystudying at a middle school in a small town.He got poor marks on monthly tests onceagain. When he got home， he found hisfather was waiting to beat him. His mothercame out of the kitchen and said to hisfather， “Vinays mother said that Arunbullied1 other children in the school.”Sohis father started to beat him hard.

After that， Arun ran away from homeand went to a park. It was about 7：00 in theevening. He saw a man walking to him. Theman looked at him and smiled. Arun asked，“Who are you？ What do you want？”

The man said， “I am a time traveler2and I want to take you to your future3.”Arunsaid， “I dont want to go to my future. Myfather says that I would go to jail4 in thefuture.”The man said，“What you think aboutyourself is more important. Come with me.”

He got into a truck5 with Arun， and turnedon some machines. After a minute， the timetraveler opened the door of the truck and saidto Arun，“Welcome to the future.”

Arun got off the truck， looked around andasked， “Where are we？” Time traveleranswered， “We are in the future time in yourtown. Lets go to your home.”Then Arun foundhis home was old and the window glasses werebroken after they got there. He looked insidethrough6 the window. He saw his father lyingon a bed and coughing7 a lot. His mother wasnow old， sick and was with a walking stick8.She was saying， “Arun was going to bereleased9 from the jail next week.”His fathergot angry，“Why is he being released from jail？He should not be released until he mends10 hisways.”His mother began to cry.

Arun got shocked11 seeing this. Hecould not see all this and moved away fromthe window. His father started coughing againand he didnt want to hear that. He cried andsaid， “Please take me back to my presenttime.”The time traveler said，“You must stayin your future time and see your futureversion12 before returning to your present.”

They stayed in the future time for aweek. During this time， Arun tried to findout where his classmates were. He foundthat some of them were still in this towndoing different jobs. But no one wasspoiled13 and in jail like him.

And the day came when his futureversion was to release from jail. Arun andthe time traveler were waiting at somedistance14 from the jail. They saw ashabby15 and fat man coming out of the jail.Arun was sad seeing his future version. Hewas ashamed16 of himself. He asked thetime traveler，“Can you help me change myfuture life？”

He said to Arun， “Listen to me， boy.Your future is up to you. What you do inthe present time decides what you will bein the future. Be a good boy in yourpresent， your future will be good. You stillhave time.”

Then in a minute， Arun was in hispresent time. He got off the truck and saidto the time traveler， “Thank you so muchfor giving me a chance to look into myfuture and make changes. I will alwaysremember what you said to me.”

Time traveler smiled and said，“Havea good present and future.”Then he startedhis truck and soon the truck got out ofAruns eyesight17. Since that evening，Arun has done better and better.

阿伦是一个13 岁的男孩，在一个小镇上读中学。他又在月考中得了低分。当他回到家时，他发现他的父亲正在等着揍他。他的母亲从厨房出来，对他父亲说：“维纳的母亲说阿伦欺负学校里的其他孩子。”于是，他的父亲开始狠狠地揍他。

挨完打后，阿伦离家出走了，然后他来到了一个公园。当时大约是晚上7 点。他看到一个人向他走来。那个人看着他笑了。阿伦问：“你是谁？你想干什么？”

那个人说：“我是一个时间旅行者，我想带你去你的未来。”阿伦说：“我不想去我的未来。我父亲说我将来会进监狱。”那个人说：“你对自己的看法更重要。跟我来吧。”他带着阿伦上了一辆卡车，接着打开了几个机器。过了一分钟，时间旅行者打开卡车的门，对阿伦说：“欢迎来到未来。”

阿伦从卡车上下来，环顾四周，问道：“我们在哪里？”时间旅行者回答：“我们在未来你家的镇上。我们先去你家吧。”到了之后，阿伦发现他家房子已经很旧了，窗户玻璃也破了。他透过窗户往里看，看到他父亲躺在床上不停咳嗽，他母亲此时也年老多病，拄着拐杖。她说：“阿伦下周就要出狱了。”他的父亲很生气，说：“他为什么要出狱？在他改过自新之前，他不应该被放出来。”

他母亲哭了起来。

阿伦看到这些很震惊。他不想看到这一切，于是离开了窗户边。父亲又开始咳嗽，他不想听到这种声音。他哭着说：“请带我回現在吧。”时间旅行者说：“在回到现在之前，你必须呆在未来的时间里，直到看到未来的你。”

他们在未来的时间里呆了一个星期。在这段时间里，阿伦试图找出他同学的下落。他发现他们中的有些人仍然在这个小镇上做着不同的工作。但没有人像他一样被宠坏并被关进监狱。

未来的他出狱的日子到了，阿伦和时间旅行者在离监狱不远的地方等待。他们看到一个衣着破旧的肥胖男人从监狱里出来。

阿伦看到未来的自己感到很难过。他为自己感到很羞愧。他问时间旅行者：“你能帮我改变未来的生活吗？”

他对阿伦说：“听我说，孩子。

你的未来取决于你自己。你现在所做的事决定了你未来的样子。

你现在做一个好孩子，未来的你就会变好。你还有时间。”

过了一分钟后，阿伦回到了现在。他从卡车上下来，对时间旅行者说：“非常感谢你给了我一个展望未来并做出改变的机会。我将永远记住你对我说的话。”

时间旅行者笑着说：“祝你拥有美好的现在和未来。”然后他启动了卡车，很快那辆卡车就离开了阿伦的视线。从那天晚上开始，阿伦表现得越来越好了。

Notes

1. bully 威吓；欺侮；欺负

2. traveler 旅行者；旅客

3. future 未来；将来

4. jail 监狱；监禁

5. truck 卡车；载重汽车

6. through  穿过；透过

7. cough  咳嗽；发出咳嗽般的声音

8. stick 拐杖；棍

9. release 释放；放走

10. mend 缝补；修补；修理

11. shock 使震惊；使难以置信

12. version 版本；变体

13. spoil 娇惯；溺爱；宠坏

14. distance 远处；距离

15. shabby 破旧的；破烂的；衣着破旧的；衣衫褴褛的

16. ashamed 感到羞愧；感到羞耻

17. eyesight 目力；视力