Left Hand and Right Hand
左手加右手
I was a 20-year-old nursing student in 1968, preparing to be a real nurse in a hospital. I was assigned as Chris's post-operative nurse.
1968年，我是個20歲的護理專業學生，為了成為一名真正的護士而在一所醫院實習。我被指派為克里斯的術後護士。
Chris was an eight-year-old boy bundle of energy, who excelled in every sport he played. Disobeying his parents' words, he explored a neighbor's construction site, climbed a ladder, and fell, which got him a broken arm that later had to be cut off.
克里斯是一個八歲的小男孩，渾身似乎有使不完的勁兒，他參加每一項體育運動都表現突出。他因為不聽父母的警告，到鄰居家尚未完工的建築工地去玩，爬上一架梯子，結果跌下來摔斷了一隻胳膊， 後來不得不截肢。
The first few days passed quickly. I provided Chris's physical care with forced cheerfulness. As his need for medication decreased, his level of awareness increased, as did his moodiness. When I saw how alert he seemed as he watched me bring in things for a sponge bath , I offered him the towel and suggested he take over. He washed his face and neck, then quit. And I finished.
開頭的幾天過得很快。我在護理克里斯的時候儘量顯出高興的樣子。隨著他藥物治療的減少，克里斯對自己的病情也就知道得越來越多，他變得越來越悶悶不樂。我注意到，當看見我拿著紗布浴的用品進來時，他立刻變得十分警覺。我把毛巾遞給他，示意他接過去。他洗了臉和脖子，就停下不洗了。我只好幫他洗完澡。
The next day I said that he'd do his whole bath by himself. He refused. I insisted. He was more than halfway through when he sat down suddenly and said, "I'm too tired."
第二天，我告訴他必須自己洗澡。他不肯。而我堅持要他這樣做。他剛洗到一半，突然坐下說：“我太累了。”
You won't be in the hospital much longer, I said gently. "You need to learn to take care of yourself."
“你不會在醫院裡待太久的，”我輕聲說。“你必須學會自己照顧自己。”
Well, I can't, he scowled . "How can I do anything with just one hand?"
“噢，我做不到，”他皺了皺眉，說，“我只有一隻手，能做什麼？”
Putting on my brightest face, I searched for a silver lining in my mind. Finally I said, "Sure you can do it, Chris. At least you have your right hand."
我換上一副最燦爛的笑臉，在大腦中尋找一絲希望之光。最後， 我說：“克里斯，你當然可以做到。至少你還有右手。”
He turned his face away and muttered , "I'm left-handed. At least I used to be." He glared at me, "Now what?"
他把臉轉向別處，低聲咕噥道：“我是左撇子。至少過去是。”他瞪著我說：“怎麼辦？”
Suddenly, I felt phony and insincere. How could I have taken right- handedness for granted? It seemed he and I both had a lot to learn.
突然，我覺得自己又虛偽又不真誠。我怎麼能夠想當然地認為他的右手很得力呢？看來，我和他都還有很多東西要學。
The next morning I greeted Chris with a big smile and a rubber band.He looked at me suspiciously . Wrapping the rubber band loosely around my wrist, I said, "You're left-handed and I'm right-handed. I am going to put my right hand behind my back and keep it there by winding the rubber band around my uniform buttons. Every time I ask you to do something with your right hand, I will do it first, with my left hand. And I promise not to practice before I see you. What should we try first?"
第二天早晨，我拿著一根橡皮筋，微笑著跟克里斯打了個招呼。他不解地看著我。我把橡皮筋鬆鬆地纏在自己的右手腕上，說：“你是左撇子，我是右撇子。我將把右手背在身後，然後把橡皮筋纏到我的制服紐扣上，將右手固定在那兒。以後，我讓你用右手做什麼，我自己就先用左手做一遍。我還答應你不會預先練習。現在，我們應該先練什麼呢？”
I just woke up, he grumbled . "I need to brush my teeth."
“我剛剛睡醒，”他嘟囔著說，“我要刷牙。”
I managed to take the top off the toothpaste, and then placed his toothbrush on his table. Awkwardly , I tried to get toothpaste onto the toothbrush. The harder I struggled, the more interested he became. After almost ten minutes, and a lot of wasted toothpaste, I succeeded.
我設法擰掉牙膏蓋，然後把他的牙刷放在他的桌上，再笨拙地把牙膏擠在牙刷上。我越是費勁，他就越感到有趣。這樣弄了大約十分鐘，並且浪費了許多牙膏之後，我成功了。
I can do it faster than that! Chris declared. And when he did do so, his triumphant grin was just as real as mine.
“我一定做得比你快！”克里斯宣稱。當他確實做到時，他勝利的笑容就和我的一樣真切。
The next two weeks passed quickly. We did his daily activities with enthusiasm and a competitive spirit. We buttoned his shirts, buttered his bread and so on. Despite our age difference, we were playing a game as equal competitors.
接下來的兩週飛逝而去。我們以極大的熱情和競爭的心態來處理他的日常活動。我們扣他襯衫的紐扣，在他的麵包上塗黃油等等。儘管我們的年齡存在差異，但我們以平等競爭的方式進行著我們的遊戲。
By the time my work ended, he was almost ready for discharge , and ready to face the world with more confidence. We hugged each other goodbye with sincere friendship and tears.
當我實習結束的時候，他差不多已經能夠出院，而且準備好更加自信地面對生活了。我們眼裡噙滿了淚水，相互擁抱著道別，心中充滿了真摯的友情。
More than 30 years have passed since our time together.I've encountered some ups and downs in my life, but I've never let a physical challenge pass without thinking of Chris and wondering what he would do. Sometimes I put a hand behind my back and give it a try.
從我們分別到現在已經有三十多年了。我一生中曾經遇到過很多坎坷。而每當我在生活中遇到一件我從沒有做過的事情時，我就會禁不住想起克里斯，想想他會如何處理。有時候，我會將一隻手背在身後，試著只用一隻手去做這件事。
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