“Would you carry my bag out to the car？”she said. I took the suitcase to the cab， and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing，”I told her.“I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated”.
“Oh， you’re such good boy，” she said. When we got in the cab， she gave me an address， and then asked，“Can you drive through downtown？”
“It’s not the shortest way，” I answered quickly. “Oh， I don’t mind，” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.” I looked in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were glistening. “I don’t have any family left，” she continued.“The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.“What route would you like me to take？” I asked. For the next two hours， we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture factory that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness， saying nothing.
As the sun was rising from the horizon， she suddenly said， “I’m tired. Let’s go now.” We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building， with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two men came out to the cab as soon as we stopped. They were eager and intent， watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.
“How much do I owe you？” she asked， reaching into her purse.
“Nothing，” I said.
“You have to make a living，” she answered.
“There are other passengers，”I responded. Almost without thinking， I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.
“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy，” she said.“Thank you.” I held her hand， and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me， a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly， lost in thought.
For the rest of that day， I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver， or one who was impatient？ What if I had refused to take the run， or had honked once， then driven away？ On a quick review， I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life.
二十年前，我以开出租车为生。那是种牛仔式的生活，是不想有老板管的人过的生活。因为我是晚上开车，我的车就成了移动的忏悔室。乘客坐上来，坐在我后面，跟我说着他们的生活，虽然我压根不知道他们是谁。在我遇到的这些人中，有些人的生活让我觉得惊奇，有的让我心生敬意，有的让我笑，有的让我哭。但最打动我的是一个在8月的深夜里坐我车的老太太。
那天，有人从镇上僻静地区的一座砖房预约了我的车。我想应该是一些开派对的人，或是哪个跟爱人吵了一架的人，或是去镇上工业区的工厂轮早班的工人叫我去接他们。当我夜里2点半到达那里时，房子是漆黑的，只有一楼的窗户那儿亮着一盏灯。
在这种情形下，很多司机只是远远地鸣两声喇叭，等上一小会儿，如果没人答应就把车开走了。但我见过很多穷人，出租车是他们惟一可依赖的交通工具。除非我觉得危险，我总是走到门前。乘客也许需要我的帮助，我这样说服自己。于是我向房子走去，敲了敲门。
“等一会儿，”一个年老的、虚弱的声音回答道。我听见什么东西在地板上拖着走。等了好长一会儿，门开了。一个瘦小的80多岁的老太太站在我面前。她穿着印花裙子，戴着有面纱的帽子，就像是某个从20世纪40年代的电影中走出来的人物。她身边是一个尼龙的手提包。这个房子像很多年没人住过一样。所有的家具都被被单罩着。墙上连个钟都没有，角落的箱子里装满了照片和玻璃器皿。
“可以帮我把包提到车上吗？”她说。我把手提包提到出租车上，接着回去帮她。她搭着我的手，我们慢慢地走向街边。她不停地感谢我的好心。“没什么，”我告诉她，“我希望我母亲得到怎样的待遇，我就怎样对待我的乘客。”
“噢，你真是个好孩子，”她说。我们坐进车里，她给了我一个地址，接着问，“你能从市区里走吗？”
“这不是最近的路，”我迅速回答道。“哦，我不介意，”她说，“我不着急，我这是去救济院。”我从后视镜中看过去，她眼中闪着泪光。“我没有任何家人，”她继续说，“医生说我的日子不长了。”
我静静地伸出手，把里程表关了。“你想走哪条路线？”我问。在下面的两个钟头里，我们开着车穿过城市。她指给我看她曾做电梯操作员的那座大楼。我们穿过她和她丈夫新婚时住的地方。她让我在一个家具厂门前停下，那曾是个舞厅，她年轻时在那儿跳过舞。有时她会让我在某个特别的建筑或角落那儿减速，她坐在黑暗中，凝视着它们，一语不发。
当太阳从地平线上升起时，她突然说，“我累了，我们走吧。”我们静静地向她给的地址开去。那是个低矮的楼房，它的车道是从门廊下面穿过去的。我们刚停下来，有两个人向车走来。他们急切而热心地看着她走过每一步。他们一定在等她。我打开后备箱，把小包拿到门那儿，老太太已经坐在轮椅上了。
“我该给你多少钱？”她问，伸手去拿她的钱包。
“不要钱，”我回答。
“你得生活，”她说。
“还有其他的乘客，”我答道。我不假思索地弯下身子和她拥抱。她紧紧地抱着我。
“你让一个老太婆有了片刻的快乐，”她说，“谢谢！”我握了握她的手，接着向那清晨微弱的阳光中走去。在我的身后，一扇门关上了。这是一个生命被关上的声音。那个轮班中我没再载其他乘客。我漫无目的地开着车，陷入沉思。
在那天剩下的时光里，我几乎没有与人交谈。如果那位老太太遇见一位生气的或没耐心的司机，如果我拒绝出车，或只远远地鸣一声喇叭就开走？迅速地回忆一下，我认为这是我一生中做过的最重要的事情。
Kindness of strangers
陌生的巴士司机
When I enrolled in a university course three years ago， I was surprised at how lonely a place it could be. Overcoming my shyness， I shared friendly smiles with potential friends. One such university friend invited me over to her place for a dinner party. I was thrilled， and after checking the details， I gladly accepted.
Not really knowing how long the bus ride should be， I alighted when I saw the landmarks specified by my friend"s hand-drawn map. It was dark， so it was not until I got close enough to the street signs that I started to panic. None of the streets was shown on the map. I was standing on a busy road with cars zooming past and not a soul in sight. I had no idea when the next bus would come. So when a bus came by， I eagerly boarded it.
I told the bus driver where I intended to go and he said that I had caught the wrong bus， but let me stay on. After he had finished his scheduled bus route he offered to help me out. I gratefully showed him my little hand-drawn map but its simplicity did not help matters much.
He finally dropped me at a main road to catch a different bus and was apologetic that he could not help me more.
After a few minutes of walking， I noticed a bus pull up beside me. It was the same bus driver. He explained that he could not leave me stranded and really wanted to help me out. He sent out a call and someone radioed back， saying the bus I was to catch was about ten minutes away. I made it to the dinner party， although over an hour late.
I am forever grateful for the concern this bus driver had for me. His act of kindness had an impact on my night but more importantly， he left an imprint on my heart.
三年前，当我到大学报到时，惊讶地发现学校所在的位置太偏僻了。克服了自己害羞的性格，我与未来可能成为朋友的同学们相对而笑。他们中的一个人邀请我到她家去参加晚餐派对。我有点紧张，但在问清楚了具体情况之后，我愉快地接受了邀请。
我并不清楚巴士要开多远才到，在发现朋友手绘地图上标示的地标时我下了车。天很黑，所以直到我贴近了路标看清楚时，才感到不寒而栗——这并不是朋友手绘地图上的那些街道！我站在巴士道上了，各种汽车飞驰而过，街上看不到一个人。我不知道下一班巴士什么时候到。所以，当下一班巴士终于到达时，我快步上了车。
我告诉巴士司机我要去的地方，他说我搭错车了，但是却让我留在车上。在完成了运行路线后，他提出要帮我找到目的地。我感激地拿出了那张手绘地图，不过手绘地图过于简单，并没有帮上多大忙。最后，他把我带到了一条主路上去乘另一辆巴士，并表示很抱歉他帮不了我。
我走了几分钟，注意到一辆巴士在我旁边停了下来。还是那个司机！他说他不能让我束手无策，他很想帮到我。于是他拨了一个电话，有人回拨了回来，说我应该搭乘的那辆巴士距离该处有10分钟的路途。最后我如约赴宴，虽然还是晚了一个小时。
我对这位巴士司机对我的关心永远心存感激。他的善举对我那晚的经历颇具影响，不过更为重要的是，他在我的心中留下了烙印。