Young people
每年的毕业都少不了亮丽的词句和善意的谎言。而一位35年前的毕业生，用亲身体验道出了一番独特的毕业。
Scanning through my e-mails the other day, one in particular jumped out at me. The subject line read: "Note from Lyndonville Central School."
Since I graduated from that fine institution of learning what seems like 147 years ago, I opened it first. It was from a man who teaches math there now, a man who was a few grades behind me, a man who was inviting me, on behalf of the student council, to speak at Class Day<注1> in June."I would like to invite you 'back home,' " he wrote. "What do you think?"
What do I think?
I don't know.
The last time I spoke at Lyndonville Central School was graduation night of 1967. I can't remember exactly what I said that warm June evening, but I fear I proclaimed, among other things, that I was going to change the world, make it a better place for mankind, cure cancer and stop the spread of the leisure suit, the fashion faux pas<注2> that was sweeping the country.
I came through only on<注3> the leisure suit promise. It was on the road to extinction by the following spring.
But people will cut you some slack<注4> when you're 17. I distinctly remember applause. Perhaps they were just happy that I finally shut up, I don't know. At the time, I took it as a positive response, grabbed my diploma and got out of town. Never looked back, as they say.<注5>
And now western New York was calling me home.
If I go, what would I say this time around? What would I share with these kids who were me 35 years ago, sitting there in the bleachers, eager to get on with life?<注6>
I've always been wary of adults bearing advice.<注7> Any adult who has ever tried to give me any over the years will vouch for that. (Not that I consider myself an adult, but I look like one now, so I can infiltrate places adults frequent and pass for one if I must.)<注8>
Would I fall into that cliche<注9> pool of graduation speeches? Follow your dreams! Climb every mountain! Go out there and make a difference! Carpe diem!<注10>
Or would I be brutally<注11> honest and tell them they'll be working for the next 50 years, have children who will think them fools and more than likely have as little hair as I do? And when all that's over, there will be no Social Security Check<注12> for them, ause I will have already spent ally, I'm not sure it really matters what I'd say.
I'm sure there's a Class Day picnic they'll be itching to get to, a girl or boyfriend they'll be flirting with across the auditorium, a school's-almost-out daydream that will happily occupy their thoughts the whole time I might be speaking<注13>.
I should know. I don't have a clue what any of my end-of-high-school speakers said. All I remember is they were old, rambled on<注14> for far too long and all looked like someone I would hope I'd never ome.
And now I have.
1. Class Day：毕业纪念日。
2. faux pas：（法）不检点的话（或行为）
3. come through on sth.：成功、实现。
4. cut sb. some slack：对某人表示理解。
5. 当时，在自以为是赞许的掌声中，我一把拿过毕业证，象他们说的那样头也不回地离开了镇子，。
6. 这些孩子们恍如35年前的我，和他们我能谈些什么呢？他们就坐在露天看台上，一副对生活跃跃欲试的样子。bleacher：（美）运动场的露天座位。
7. 我一向对谆谆教诲的.大人们心存戒备。be wary of : 提防，小心。
8. 过去几年，凡是试图忠告我的成年人都可以证明这一点。我没把自己当成年人，但因为我长得像，所以必要时我能经常混迹于成人场合并被当作其中的一员。
9. cliches：陈词滥调、套话。
10. carpe diem：size the day（拉）及时行乐，这里指珍惜大好时光。
11. brutally：残酷的、不中听的。
12. Social Security Check：社会保险支票。（美国的）社会保障制度（1935年美国政府通过“社会保障条例”，据此对老年人或残疾人员，以及贫苦、失业工人给予最低额救济金）。Social Security Number:社会保险号码。
13. be itching to：渴望去做。 to flirt with：调情、卖俏。 school's-almost-out：全校倾巢而出。我想一定会有一个盼望已久的毕业纪念日野餐，一个女孩或许正和她的男朋友在会场里调笑、可能自始至终我一边，台下的学生们满脑子装的却都是全校外出日的美梦。
14. ramble on： 漫谈，文中指唠叨个没完。
书香门第
