正文
When sailors are allowed ashore（上岸）, after a long time at sea, they sometimes get drunk and cause trouble. For this reason, the navy always has naval police in big ports. When sailors cause trouble the naval police come and deal with them.
海員經過很長一段時間的航海後，獲准上岸時，有時會醉酒惹事。鑑於此，海軍一般在各大港口都配有海軍警察。海員一旦惹了事，警察就會趕來解決。
One day, the naval police in one big seaport received an urgent telephone call from a bar in the town. The barman said that a big sailor had got drunk and was breaking the furniture in the bar. The petty officer who was in charge of the naval police on guard that evening said that he would come immediately.
有一天，駐守在一個大海港的海軍警察接到了一通從鎮上酒吧打來的緊急電話。服務員說有個大塊頭海員喝多了，正在砸酒吧裡的傢俱。當晚值班的士官說他馬上就到。
Now petty officers who had to go and deal with sailors who were violently drunk usually chose the biggest naval policeman they could find to go with them.
士官們因為要去現場處理海員醉酒的問題，一般都會選擇手下塊兒頭最大的警員一同前往。
But this particular petty officer did not do this. Instead, he chose the smallest and weakest-looking man he could find to go to the bar with him to arrest the sailor who was breaking the furniture.
但是這位士官偏偏不這樣，他選了一個看起來最弱小的陪著去酒吧逮捕損壞傢俱的海員。
Another petty officer who happened to be there was surprised when he saw the petty officer of the guard choose this small man, so he said to him, “Why don't you take a big man with you? You may have to fight the sailor who is drunk.”
另一位碰巧在場的士官看到值班同事帶了這麼個小塊頭一起來，驚訝極了，就問他：“怎麼不帶個壯漢來呢？你可能還得跟醉酒海員搏鬥呢。”
“Yes, you are quite right,” answered the petty officer of the guard. “This is exactly why I am taking this small man. If you saw two policemen coming to arrest you, and one of them was much smaller than the other, which one would you attack?”
“是啊，你說得沒錯。”值班官員說。“正是因為這樣，我才帶他來的。要是你看見兩個警察過來抓你，一個比另一個弱小得多，你衝誰動手？”
站在對手的立場審視戰局、評估戰況，不失為一條尋求自我保護的捷徑。
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