The Shop Across the Road

Ana turns. Walter is at the door to the shop. Fast, she puts the paper square in the pocket of her jeans.

安娜回头。Walter在店门那儿。她很快把小方纸片放进牛仔裤口袋里。

“Nothing,” she says. “I want some air. It is very hot in here.”

“没有什么，”她说。“我想呼吸一点儿空气。这里很热。”

Walter looks at her. Then he looks at the step. The step is empty. His face doesn’t move.

Walter看着她。然后他看台阶。台阶上什么也没有。他的脸一动不动。

“Close that door,” he says. “And go to bed. You’re slow, but you’re not bad. Sleep now. Work is at three again.”

“关门，”他说。“去睡觉。你做得慢，可是还不坏。现在去睡。三点又要工作。”

Ana closes the door. Not bad. From Walter, that is good. She goes upstairs and sleeps.

安娜关上门。不坏。从Walter嘴里说出来，那就是好。她上楼睡觉。

At three in the afternoon, Ana’s alarm rings. She gets up. She has no milk in her room, and no money on her phone. She needs a phone card.

下午三点，安娜的闹钟响了。她起床。她的房间里没有牛奶，手机上也没有钱。她需要一张电话卡。

Across the road, there is a small shop. Its name is over the door: SHAH’S. In the window, there are newspapers, sweets and a cat. The cat is asleep.

路对面有一家小店。门上面有它的名字：SHAH’S。窗子里有报纸、糖果和一只猫。猫在睡觉。

Ana goes in. A small woman stands behind the counter. She has gold glasses and a pen behind her ear. “Hello, my dear!” she says. “You’re new. I know everybody, and I don’t know you.”

安娜走进去。柜台后面站着一个不高的小女人。她戴着金色的眼镜，耳朵后面有一支笔。“你好，亲爱的！”她说。“你是新来的。大家都认识我，我不认识你。”

“Hello. Good afternoon. I’m Ana. I work at the bakery.”

“你好。下午好。我是安娜。我在面包店工作。”

“At Walter’s? The new night baker! I’m Priya. Priya Shah. This is my shop. Where are you from, Ana? How old are you? Have you got a family? Do you like it here?”

“在Walter的店里吗？新来的夜班面包师傅！我是Priya。Priya Shah。这是我的店。安娜，你从哪里来？你几岁？你有家人吗？你喜欢这里吗？”

Ana laughs. “Sorry. Slowly, please. One question.”

安娜笑了。“对不起。请慢一点儿。一个问题。”

“Sorry, my dear. One question. Where are you from?”

“对不起，亲爱的。一个问题。你从哪里来？”

“From far away. Very far,” Ana says. “I am twenty-four. I have a brother. He is at home.”

“从很远的地方来。很远，”安娜说。“我二十四岁。我有一个弟弟。他在家。”

“That’s three questions. Good!” Priya says. “What can I get for you?”

“那是三个问题。好！”Priya说。“你想买什么？”