UnitTen：GoingHome

IfirstheardthisstoryafewyearsagofromagirlIhadmetinNewYork'sGreenwichVillage. Probablythestoryisoneofthosemysteriousbitsoffolklorethatreappeareveryfewyear, tobetoldanewinoneformoranother. However, Istillliketothinkthatitreallydidhappen, somewhere, sometime.

GoingHome

TheyweregoingtoFortLauderdale-- threeboysandthreegirls-- andwhentheyboardedthebus, theywerecarryingsandwichesandwineinpaperbags, dreamingofgoldenbeachesandseatidesasthegray, coldspringofNowYorkvanishedbehindthem.
AsthebuspassedthroughNewJersey, theybegantonoticeVingo. Hesatinfrontofthem, dressedinaplain, ill-fittingsuit, nevermoving, hisdustyfacemaskinghisage. Hekeptchewingtheinsideofhislipalot, frozenintocompletesilence.
Deepintothenight, outsideWashington, thebuspulledintoHowardJohnson's, andeverybodygotoffexceptVingo. Hesatrootedinhisseat, andtheyoungpeoplebegantowonderabouthim, tryingtoimaginehislife: perhapshewasaseacaptain, arunawayfromhiswife, anoldsoldiergoinghome. Whentheywentbacktothebus, oneofthegirlssatbesidehimandintroducedherself.
"We'regoingtoFlorida," shesaidbrightly. "Ihearit'sreallybeautiful."
"Itis," hesaidquietly, asifrememberingsomethinghehadtriedtoforget.
"Wantsomewine?" shesaid. Hesmiledandtookaswigfromthebottle. Hethankedherandretreatedagainintohissilence. Afterawhile, shewentbacktotheothers, andVingonoddedinsleep.
Inthemorning, theyawokeoutsideanotherHowardJohnson's, andthistimeVingowentin. Thegirlinsistedthathejointhem. Heseemedveryshy, andorderedblackcoffeeandsmokednervouslyastheyoungpeoplechatteredaboutsleepingonbeaches. Whentheyreturnedtothebus, thegirlsatwithVingoagain, andafterawhile, slowlyandpainfully, hebegangotellhisstory. HehadbeeninjailinNewYorkforthepastfouryears, andnowhewasgoinghome.
"Areyoumarried?"
"Idon'tknow."
"Youdon'tknow?" shesaid.
"Well, whenIwasinjailIwrotetomywife," hesaid. "ItoldherthatIwasgoingtobeawayalongtime, andthatifshecouldn'tstandit, ifthekidskeptaskin'questions, ifithurthertoomuch, well, shecouldjusforgetme. I'dunderstand. Getanewguy, Isaid-- she'sawonderfulwoman, reallysomething-- andforgetaboutme. Itoldhershedidn'thavetowriteme. Andshedidn't. Notforthreeandahalfyears."
"Andyou'regoinghomenow, notknowing?"
"Yeah," hesaidshyly. "Well, lastweek, whenIwassuretheparolewascomingthrough, Iwrotetheagain. WeusedtoliveinBrunswick, justBeforeJacksonville, andthere'sabigoaktreejustasyoucomeintotown, Itoldherthatifshedidn'thaveanewguyandifshe'dtakemeback, sheshouldputayellowhandkerchiefonthetree, andI'dgetoffandcomehome. Ifshedidn'twantme, forgetit-- nohandkerchief, andI'dgoonthrough."
"Wow," thegirlexclaimed. "Wow."
Shetoldtheothers, andsoonallofthemwereinit, caughtupintheapproachofBrunswick, lookingatthepicturesVingoshowedthemofhiswifeandthreechildren-- thewomanhandsomeinaplainway, thechildrenstillunformedinthemuch-handledsnapshots.
Nowtheywere20 milesfromBrunswick, andtheyoungpeopletookoverwindowseatsontherightside, waitingfortheapproachofthegreatoaktree. Vingostoppedlooking, tighteninghisface, asidfortifyinghimselfagainststillanotherdisappointment.
ThenBrunswickwas10 miles, andthenfive. Then, suddenly, alloftheyoungpeoplewereupoutoftheirseats, screamingandshoutingandcrying, doingsmalldancesofjoy. AllexceptVingo.
Vingosattherestunned, lookingattheoaktree. Itwascoveredwithyellowhandkerchiefs-- 20 ofthem, 30 ofthem, maybehundreds, atreethatstoodlikeabannerofwelcomebillowinginthewind. Astheyoungpeopleshouted, theoldconslowlyrosefromhisseatandmadehiswaytothefrontofthebustogohome.

NEWWORDS

mysterious
a. strange神密的
mystery
n.
folklore
n. 民间传说
reappear
vi. appearagainafteranabsence再（出）现
anew
ad. inanewordifferentway; again重新；再
sometime
ad. atsomeuncertainorunstatedtime某个时候
tide
n. 潮汐
vanish
vi. disappear
ill-fitting
a. 不合身的
dusty
a. coveredwithdust满是灰尘的
mask
vt. hide遮盖；掩盖
root
v. (causeto) befixedandunmoving　（使）生根；（使）固定
runaway
n. apersonthathaslefthomeorescaped　逃跑者，出逃者
brightly
ad. inabrightmanner, cheerfully　欢快地，高兴地
swing
n. alongandlargedrink　痛饮
retreat
vi. goback; withdraw退缩；退却，撤退
chatter　
vi. talkfastandnoisilyaboutsth. unimportant喋喋不休
painfully
ad. ingreatdiscomfort痛苦地
painful
a.
jail
n. prison监狱
guy
n. (AmEsl.) man; fellow人；家伙
yeah
ad. (AmE) yes
parole
n. conditionalreleasefromprison假释
oak
n. 橡树
wow
interj. anexpressionofsurprise哇，呀
exclaim
vt. Cryoutsuddenlybecauseofsurprise, anger, pain, etc. 惊叫，叫喊说
approach
n. comingnearornearer接近，临近
unformed
a. immature发育未全的
handle
vt. touch, feeloruse(sth) withthehand(s) 触，摸，抚弄
snapshot
n. 快照
tighten
v. makestrong（使）变紧；（使）绷紧
stun]
vt. shockorsurprise增强；给...以勇气
banner
n. flag旗，旗帜
billow
vi. wave　（波浪）翻腾；波浪般起伏
con
n. convict　囚犯

PHRASES& EXPRSSIONS

dreamof
wishforardently　向往，渴望
pullinto
enter, arriveat　（车等）驶入；到达
takeback
agreetoreceivesb. whomonehasdismissed　允许...回来，接受
comethrough
arriveasexpected如所预料地到来
becaughtupin
beveryinterestedin对...入迷
takeover
occupy占用；接管
makeone'sway
movealong去，前往

PROPERNAMES

GreenwichVillage
格林尼治村（纽约市）
FortLauderdale
洛德代尔堡（佛罗里达州）
NewJersey
新泽西（美国州名）
Vingo
文（姓氏）
HowardJohnson　　　　
霍华德.约翰逊
Florida
佛罗里达（美国州名）
Brunswick
布伦斯威克（佐治亚洲）
Jacksonville
杰克逊维尔（佛罗里达州）