Coffee on the Wall

Track 8

by anonymous

翻译：鱼又

Coffee on the Wall

墙上的咖啡

Track 8

by anonymous

翻译：鱼又

“It’s a truly beautiful thing.

Probably the most beautiful wall anywhere in the world！”

I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a1）neighboring town of Venice， Italy， the city of lights and water.

As we enjoyed our coffee， a man entered and sat at an empty table beside us. He called the waiter over and placed his order， saying， “Two cups of coffee， one of them there on the wall.”

We heard this order with interest and2）observed that he was served one cup of coffee but he paid for two. When he left， the waiter put a piece of paper on the wall， saying， “A Cup of Coffee.”

While we were still there， two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee， two on the table and one on the wall. They had two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. This time also，the waiter did the same: He put a piece of paper on the wall， saying， “A Cup of Coffee.”

It was something unique and3）confusing for us. We finished our coffee， paid the bill and left.

After a few days， we had a chance to go to this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee， a man who appeared homeless entered. As he4）seated himself， he looked at the wall and said， “One cup of coffee from the wall.” The waiter served coffee to this man with the5）customary respect. The man had his coffee and left without paying.

We were amazed to watch all of this， as the waiter took a piece of paper off the wall and threw it into the6）trash.

注：needy是形容词，表示“贫困的”，the加形容词表示“某一类人”，因此the needy表示“贫困的人”。

Now it was no surprise for us—the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy注shown by the7）inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up with tears.

Just think about what this man wanted. He entered the coffee shop without having to lower his8）self-esteem. He had no need to ask for a free cup of coffee. Without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him， he only looked at the wall， placed an order for himself， enjoyed his coffee and left.

It’s a truly beautiful thing. Probably the most beautiful wall anywhere in the world！

1） neighboring ［ˑneɪbərɪŋ］ adj. 附近的，邻近的

2） observe ［əbˑzʒːv］ v. 观察，注意到

3） confusing ［kənˑfjuːzɪŋ］ adj. 令人困惑的

4） seat ［siːt］ v. 使就座

5） customary ［ˑkʌstəmərɪ］ adj. 习惯的，惯例的

6） trash ［træʃ］ n. 垃圾

7） inhabitant ［ɪnˑhæbɪtənt］ n. 居民

8） self-esteem ［self ɪˑstiːm］ n. 自尊

在光与水交融的城市—意大利威尼斯附近的一个小镇上，我和我的朋友坐在当地一家有名的咖啡厅里。

当我们享用着美味的咖啡时，一个男人走了进来，坐到我们旁边的空桌上。他叫来服务员点单，说：“两杯咖啡，其中一杯贴在那边的墙上。”

我们颇感兴趣地听着他下单，注意到他付了两杯咖啡的钱，服务员却只上了一杯。他走后，服务员在墙上贴了一张纸条，上面写着：“一杯咖啡”。

我们依旧待在咖啡厅里，这时，又有另外两个男人进来了。他们点了三杯咖啡，两杯放桌上，一杯贴墙上。他们喝了两杯咖啡，却在付了三杯的钱后离开了。这次也不例外，服务员做了同样的事：他把一张写着“一杯咖啡”的纸条贴在墙上。

这个独特的现象让我们困惑不已。我们喝完咖啡、买完单后就离开了。

几天后，我们有机会再次光临这家咖啡厅。在我们享用咖啡的时候，一个看起来无家可归的人走了进来。他落座后，看了看那面墙，说：“来一杯墙上的咖啡。”服务员带着一贯的尊重为这个男人上了杯咖啡。那个男人喝完咖啡，没有付账就走了。

服务员取下墙上的一张纸条，然后将之丢到垃圾桶里，而我们惊奇地看着这一切。

现在我们不再惊讶了—事情已经非常明了。这个小镇的居民对穷苦人民所展现的极大的尊重让我们热泪盈眶。

想想那个男人想要什么吧。他可以在不损害自尊心的情况下走进一家咖啡厅。他不需要为一杯免费的咖啡低声下气。他不需要询问或知道是谁送了他一杯咖啡，只需要看看那面墙，自己下单，享用一杯属于自己的咖啡，然后潇洒离开。

这真的是一件很美好的事情。这很可能是世界上最美丽的一面墙了！

其实“墙上的咖啡”有一个专门的名称哦，叫“待用咖啡”。待用咖啡（Suspended Coffee）起源于意大利南部城市那不勒斯的一家咖啡馆，在那里人们可以提前多买一两杯咖啡，给其他可能比较贫困的咖啡爱好者享用。待用咖啡从二战开始慢慢流行起来。这个爱心之举如今已经在网络上引起了轰动，欧洲和北美的咖啡店也都加入到了“待用咖啡”的行列中。

在中国，除了不少咖啡厅也加入到这个行列外，一些餐馆还衍生了“待用餐点”，使贫苦人家可以免费享用餐点。不过，可能由于很多人羞于领用，许多餐厅出现了“捐多吃少”的现象。