一份熱狗

It was a beautiful day for sightseeing around downtown Portland. We were a bunch of counselors on our day off， away from the campers， just out for some fun. The weather was perfect for a picnic， so when lunch time came， we set our sights on a small park in town. Since we all had different cravings， we decided to split up， get what each of us wanted， and meet back on the grass in a few minutes.

When my friend Robby headed for a hot dog stand， I decided to keep her company. We watched the vendor put together the perfect hot dog， just the way Robby wanted it. But when she took out her money to pay him， the man surprised us.

“It looks a little on the cool side，” he said， “so never mind paying me. This will be my freebie of the day.”

We said our thanks， joined our friends in the park， and dug into our food. But as we talked and ate， I was distracted by a man sitting alone nearby， looking at us. I could tell that he hadnt showered for days. Another homeless person， I thought， like all the others you see in cities. I didnt pay much more attention than that.

We finished eating and decided to head off for more sightseeing. But when Robby and I went to the garbage can to throw away my lunch bag， I heard a strong voice ask， “There isnt any food in the bag， is there？”

It was the man who had been watching us. I didnt know what to say. “No， I ate it already.”

“Oh，” was his only answer， with no shame in his voice at all. He was obviously hungry， couldnt bear to see anything thrown away， and was used to asking this question.

I felt bad for the man， but I didnt know what I could do. That was when Robby said， “Ill be right back. Please wait for me for a minute，” and ran off. I watched curiously as she went across to the hot dog stand. Then I realized what she was doing. She bought a hot dog， crossed back to the trash can， and gave the hungry man the food.

When she came back to us， Robby said simply， “I was just passing on the kindness that someone gave to me.”

That day I learned how generosity can go farther than the person you give to. By giving， you teach others how to give also.

這天風和日麗，陽光明媚，正是到波特蘭市區游玩的好日子。我們這一群在夏令營中負責管理低年級學生的年輕人這一天剛好休假。我們遠離露營者，只是為了出來尋找一些樂趣。這是一個在外面野餐的完美天氣，因此，當午飯時間到來的時候，我們把目標鎖定在城里的一座小小的公園里。因為我們的口味各不相同，所以，我們決定分頭行動，去購買我們自己想吃的食物，然后，再在草地上會合。

當我的朋友羅比向一個賣熱狗的攤子走去時，我決定陪她一同前往。我們注視著攤主包好一份完美的熱狗；它正是羅比喜歡的那一種。但是，當她掏出錢來準備付帳的時候，他讓我們吃了一驚。

“這份熱狗好象稍微有點兒涼，”他說，“所以，不用付錢了。這個將成為我今天的免費贈品?！?/p>

我們向他道了謝，回到我們在公園里的朋友人們中間，開始吃午餐。當我們一邊吃飯一邊交談的時候，一個正獨自坐在我們附近、看著我們吃飯的男人引起了我的注意。我敢斷定他已經有好幾天沒有洗過澡了。又是一個無家可歸的流浪漢，我想，和你在每座城市里見過的所有流浪漢一樣。我對他沒有再多加留意。

我們吃完飯以后，決定離開那里去別的地方游玩。但是，當我和羅比一起去垃圾桶那兒把我們的午餐袋扔掉的時候，我聽到一個熱切的聲音問道，“袋子里還有一些食物，對嗎？”

說話的正是那個一直在注視著我們吃飯的男人。我不知道該說些什么?！安?，我已經把它吃完了。”

“噢，”這是他唯一的回答；他的聲音里沒有一絲羞恥感。他顯然餓極了，因為只要看到有人扔東西，他就忍不住會問這個問題。

我非常同情這個男人，但我不知道我能夠做些什么。就在那個時候，羅比說，“我馬上就回來。請等我一會兒，”她說完之后，就跑了開去。當她走向那個賣熱狗的攤子時，我好奇地注視著她。然后，我意識到她正在做什么了。她買了一份熱狗，走回到那個垃圾桶前，遞給了那個男人。

當羅比回到我們中間來的時候，她只是簡單地說，“我只是把別人對我的好意傳遞給了另一個人。”

那天，我懂得了一個道理，即，你對別人的好意可以被傳遞得很遠。通過給予，你也教別人懂得了給予。