購物療傷傷更傷

這次挫折大大打擊了May的自信心，她覺得是自己的外表不夠完美才處處遭拒。于是她開始了購物療傷法，希望從漂亮的衣服中找回快樂。但Roger認為這不能解決根本問題。

Retail Therapy

May： Ooh！ This one looks nice， right？

Roger： Yeah. They all look nice. But I don’t see how this is helping matters.

May： What do you mean？ My mood is improving already just being here， seeing all the latest fashions. Things are definitely looking up.

Roger： Well， I have no doubt that retail therapy can have a positive effect on one’s short-term happiness. But what I’m worried about is the fact that all that underlying sadness and 1）animosity is still there， even if you try to cover it up with a brand-new wardrobe.

May： Roger， I’ve gotta say that you are really smart when it comes to certain things， but you’ve got a ways to go in terms of understanding the female 2）psyche.

Roger： Is that so？ Then please， 3）enlighten me.

May： Do you remember the reason I gave you for why I’ve been so down in the dumps？

Roger： Because of all the rejections you were getting from casting people.

May： Yes. ①And all those rejections have been slowly chipping away at my 4）self-esteem， to the point where I don’t even look in the mirror anymore out of utter disgust for the person looking back at me.

Roger： And that has to be hard to deal with on a daily basis.

May： It is. But you know what makes it easier？ Finding the perfect article of clothing or， better yet， a convergence of clothes that together form an absolutely 5）flawless 6）ensemble，7）accentuating all my strengths while hiding the parts of me I’m ashamed of and wish I could change.

Roger： But you have nothing to be ashamed of.

May： That’s easy for you to say. You have no idea what it’s like to be 8）trapped in an unattractive body， to be judged and cast out before you even utter a single word.

Roger： But I thought that’s what 9）showbiz was all about. I mean， I’ve heard that it all depends on the vision the director has in mind.

May： But shape and beauty also have a lot to do with it. So if I can use these clothes to create an illusion that I’m slimmer than I actually am， and shift the focus to places like my eyes and hair， maybe the director has a better chance of imagining me in the leading role.

Roger： ②If that works for you， then I’m all for it. But I think you don’t need those clothes as much as you need the confidence they give you. That’s what’ll really make you stand out from the pack. ③Besides， you have those Helen-of-Troy eyes that could launch a thousand ships！

May： Aw…Wait！ Are you just saying that so I won’t spend my whole salary on these new digs？

Roger： No. I meant what I said and said what I meant. Cuz I’m your best friend who’s faithful 100%.

May： Thanks a lot Dr. Seuss…I’ll meet you at checkout.

玫：噢，這件衣服真漂亮，對不？

羅杰：是的。他們看起來都很漂亮，但我認為這沒有什么作用。

玫：你是什么意思？僅僅是在這里，看著這些最新的時裝已經讓我心情好了很多。情況當然有所好轉了。

羅杰：嗯，我不否定購物療法對一個人的短期快樂有積極的作用，但我擔心的是所有潛在的悲傷和仇恨依舊在那里，即使你試著用嶄新的衣服去掩蓋它們。

玫：羅杰，我得說你在某些事情上真的很聰明，但在了解女人心理方面你還需要多多努力。

羅杰：是嗎？那么請你告訴我。

玫：你還記得我曾告訴你為什么我這樣垂頭喪氣的原因嗎？

羅杰：因為所有來自劇組人員的拒絕呀。

玫：是的，所有這些拒絕都在慢慢地削弱我的自尊，以至于我甚至都不再看鏡子了，因為我討厭看見鏡子里的自己。

羅杰：那你每天都必須要處理一件很困難的事。

玫：的確。但你知道什么會使這變得容易嗎？那就是找到一件完美的衣服，或者更好是找到一整套這樣的衣服。這樣的衣服能突出我身上的優點，掩蓋我身上讓我感到羞恥和希望改變的部分，讓我絕對地完美無瑕。

羅杰：但你沒有什么可以感到羞恥的。

玫：你說得倒簡單。你根本不懂被沒有魅力的身體所困，在你甚至還沒說一個字之前，別人就判定你，驅逐你是什么感覺。

羅杰：但我認為娛樂圈就是這樣的。我的意思是，我聽說這都是由導演腦子里的幻想決定的。

玫：但體型和美貌與這也有很大關系。所以如果我能用這些衣服來創造一種我比現實中更瘦的幻覺，把導演的注意力吸引到我的眼睛或頭發這些地方上，或許導演更有可能把我想象為主角。

羅杰：如果那對你有用的話，我會全力支持你。但我覺得你更需要的是衣服帶給你的自信，而不是衣服本身。那才是真正讓你從眾人中脫穎而出的資本。況且，你有著足以傾國傾城的迷人雙眼呀！

玫：噢……等等。你剛剛是在說這樣我就不用把所有的薪金都花在這些新衣物上嗎？

羅杰：不用。我說的是實話。因為我是對你完全忠誠的朋友。

玫：非常感謝，蘇斯博士……我們在收銀臺見。

Smart Sentences

① And all those rejections have been slowly chipping away at my self-esteem， to the point where I don’t even look in the mirror anymore out of utter disgust for the person looking back at me.

所有這些拒絕都在慢慢地削弱我的自尊，以至于我甚至都不再看鏡子了，因為我討厭看見鏡子里的自己。

chip away： reduce sth. gradually（削弱，逐步損害）。例如：

My confidence was chipped away by his constant criticism.

他不斷的指責慢慢地動搖了我的自信心。

② If that works for you， then I’m all for it.

如果那對你有用的話，我會全力支持你。

all for it： give sth. one’s full support（全力支持某事）。例如：

As for Tom’s choice of major at Peking University， I am all for it， but my parents have doubts.

對于湯姆在北京大學的專業選擇，我全力支持，但我父母則猶豫不決。

③ Besides， you have those Helen-ofTroy eyes that could launch a thousand ships！

況且，你有著足以傾國傾城的迷人雙眼呀！

Helen-of-Troy： very beautiful（很漂亮，美麗）。例如：

This class is full of beautiful girls. Look at those three Helen-of-Troy faces over there by the window.

這個班有許多美女，看看窗邊那三個絕色美人。