English Original
It was a sweltering July day, the kind that makes you yearn for a swim or crave a cool drink. With friends away and public pools unappealing, I decided to walk to the neighborhood cafe for frozen yogurt, dragging a grumbling friend along.
About a block from the cafe, I noticed an elderly woman. She was in her mid-seventies, with an arched back and frizzy, greenish-yellow hair that clashed with her neon pink shirt. She struggled to push a squeaking grocery cart full of beauty supplies. Her most striking feature was a deep, permanent scowl that made her seem utterly miserable, reminding me of a cantankerous neighbor we used to call "The Witch."
My friend noticed her too, wearing a look of disgust and steering us far away, nearly onto the road. I saw others doing the same, avoiding her as if she were contagious. I felt a pang of shame but hurried past.
Just then, a horrible sound made me turn. Her cart had tipped over, scattering items across the pavement. She trembled as she bent to collect them.
"What should we do?" I whispered.
"Nothing!" my friend said with cold logic, already walking away. "Someone else will help."
But something tugged at my heart. "I'm going to help her," I said, turning back.
My friend groaned in disapproval. Ignoring her and the skeptical stares of passersby, I knelt beside the woman.
"Here, let me help you," I said gently, righting the cart.
She glanced up, her eyes filled with fear and pain. "Go away," she grumbled. "I don't need your help."
Shocked, I hesitated but continued placing items back in the cart. This time, she didn't stop me. I was stunned by the stream of people who stepped over her belongings without a word, including a guy I had a crush on, whose indifference disgusted me.
When the last item was returned, we both stood. She straightened up, sniffled, and looked at me. A tear dribbled down her cheek, but I saw a hint of a smile.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome," I murmured, smiling back.
A beautiful peacefulness washed over her once-stern face. She nodded and continued down the street, disappearing from my life as quickly as she had entered it.
Later, as my friend complained about the embarrassment, I felt only gratitude. In that moment, I didn't care what others thought. I had done the right thing. By helping her in a small way, she had shown me how to be different in the world—and how good it could feel.
中文翻译
那是七月里一个闷热难耐的日子，让人只想跳进泳池或喝杯冷饮。朋友们都不在，公共泳池又人满为患，于是我决定步行去社区咖啡馆买冻酸奶，还拉上了一个一路抱怨的朋友。
在离咖啡馆大约一个街区的地方，我注意到一位老妇人。她七十多岁，驼着背，卷曲的头发被热浪弄得毛躁，染成了难看的黄绿色，与她荧光粉色的衬衫极不协调。她费力地推着一辆吱呀作响的购物车，里面装满了美容用品。她最引人注目的是那深深皱起的眉头，让她看起来痛苦不堪，使我想起我们曾称之为“巫婆”的那个脾气暴躁的邻居。
我的朋友也注意到了她，脸上露出厌恶的表情，拉着我们远远绕开，几乎走到了马路上。我看到其他人也这样做，像躲避瘟疫一样避开她。我感到一丝羞愧，但还是快步走了过去。
就在这时，一阵刺耳的声音让我回过头。她的购物车翻了，东西散落一地。她颤抖着弯下腰去捡。
“我们该怎么办？”我小声问。
“什么都不做！”我的朋友冷冰冰地、逻辑十足地说，已经开始往前走。“会有别人帮她的。”
但有什么东西牵动了我的心。“我要去帮她，”我说着，转身往回走。
我的朋友不满地咕哝着。我没有理会她和路人怀疑的目光，跪在了那位妇人身边。
“来，让我帮你，”我轻声说着，扶正了推车。
她抬起头，眼中充满了恐惧和痛苦。“走开，”她嘟囔着。“我不需要你帮忙。”
我吃了一惊，犹豫了一下，但还是继续把东西放回车里。这次，她没有阻止我。令我震惊的是，络绎不绝的行人对散落的物品视而不见，径直跨过，其中包括一个我一直喜欢的男生，他的冷漠让我感到厌恶。
当最后一件物品放回车里后，我们都站了起来。她直起身，吸了吸鼻子，看着我。一滴眼泪从她灰白的面颊滑落，但我看到了一丝微笑的痕迹。
“谢谢你，”她低声说。
“不客气，”我轻声回应，报以微笑。
一种美丽的宁静取代了她原本严厉的面容。她点了点头，继续沿街走去，就像她突然出现一样，迅速消失在我的生活中。
后来，当我的朋友还在抱怨我让她难堪时，我只感到感激。在那一刻，我不再在意别人的看法。我做了正确的事。通过这样一个小小的帮助，她向我展示了如何在这个世界上有所不同——以及这种感觉有多么美好。