芒果街上的小屋在星期二喝可可和木瓜汁的拉菲娜

在星期二喝可可和木瓜汁的拉菲娜

　　每逢星期二，拉菲娜的丈夫回家就晚，因為這一晚他要玩多米諾骨牌。於是拉菲娜，年紀輕輕就因為倚在窗口太久太久而變老的她，被鎖在了屋裡，因為她的丈夫害怕拉菲娜會逃跑，因為她長得太美，不能被人看到。

　　拉菲娜倚在窗口，倚著她的胳膊肘，夢想她的頭髮能像拉潘索公主的一樣。酒吧的樂聲從街角傳來，拉菲娜希望能在變老以前去那裡，去跳舞。

　　時間過去很久了，我們忘了她在那上面張望，直到她說：孩子們，我給你們一元錢，你們去店裡幫我買點東西好嗎？她扔下一張皺巴巴的票子來。她總是要可可汁，有時要木瓜汁。我們把它放進一個她用晾衣繩放下來的紙手袋裡，給她遞上去。

　　星期二總是喝可可汁或木瓜汁的拉菲娜希望生活裡有更甜的飲料，不像一間空屋子那麼苦澀，而是像小島，像街那頭的舞廳一樣甜美。在舞廳裡，比她老很多的女人可以像擲色子一樣隨意地拋媚眼，用鑰匙開家裡的門。並且總會有人過來獻上更甜美的飲料，承諾把它們用銀色繩子系起來。

　　On Tuesdays Rafaela's husband es home late because that's the night he plays dominoes. And then Rafaela, who is still young but getting old from leaning out the window so much, gets locked indoors because her husband is afraid Rafaela will run away since she is too beautiful to look at.

　　Rafaela leans out the window and leans on her elbow and dreams her hair is like Rapunzel's. On the er there is musi the bar, and Rafaela wishes she could go there and dance before she gets old.

　　A long time passes and we fet she is up there watg until she says：Kids, if I give you a dollar will you go to the store and buy me something? She throws a crumpled dollar down and always asks for ut or sometimes papaya juice, and we send it up to her in a paper shopping bag she lets down with clothesline.

　　Rafaela who drinks and drinks ut and papaya jui Tuesdays and wishes there were sweeter drinks, not bitter like ay room, but sweet sweet like the island, like the dance hall dowreet where women much older thahrow green eyes easily like did open homes with keys. And always there is someone sweeter drinks, someone promising to keep them on a silver string.

學達書庫(xuoda.com)