Our dream come true. Our chance of a lifetime.
A Chance of a Lifetime
“This is a chance of a life time，” I declareddeclare vt.断言，宣布， 宣告 to my friend Stacy as I locked the door of my office and left the restaurant I managed.
Its every twentysevenyearold womans dream to live in New York City， and in a few months Ill know if I get the transfer.
我看着那个英俊的家伙卷起了袖子，他穿着一件宽松的外套。他桌边的同伴都全神贯注地望着他。我轻呼道：“哦！那正是我要嫁的男人。”
生命的机遇
“这可是我生命中的一次机遇，”我对斯泰西说。说着，我锁上办公室的门，离开了我经营多年的饭店。
每个27岁的女人都渴望在纽约生活。也许再没几个月我就可以获准迁入。
I watched the moonlight glistenglisten v.闪光 on the waters of Laguna Beach. “Ill miss it here， but living in the Big Apple is everything Ive ever wanted—a dream come true.”
We met a group of our friends at a local cafe， and I jabbered on about the possibility of my move. Laughter eruptederupt vt.喷出vi.爆发 from a nearby table.
I watched as a handsome man captured the attention of his friends with his engaging story. His broad， warm smile and air of confidence held me in a trancetrance n.恍惚， 出神， 着迷vt.使恍惚， 使发呆. Stacy nudged me. “Youre staring， Michelle， and about to drool.
“Wow，” I whispered. I watched the gorgeousgorgeous adj.华丽的， 灿烂的 guy push up the sleeves of his bulky sweater. Everyone at his table had their eyes fixed on him. “Thats the man I want to marry.”
月光倒映在拉古纳湾的水面上，漂亮极了，我陷入了沉思。“我很喜欢这里，可是在纽约生活是长久以来我心中惟一的梦想——如今，美梦就要成真了！”
我们来到了街上的一家小咖啡店，在那里遇到了很多朋友，我和他们聊着天，说着我要走的事。这时，邻近的一张桌子爆发出阵阵笑声。
应声望去，我看到了一个英俊的男人，他正在向朋友们讲一个好听的故事。他那坦率、温暖的笑容和自信的模样让我不由得发怔。 斯泰西轻轻地捅了我一下，说道：“嘿，米歇尔，你发什么呆，好像着魔了一样。”
我看着那个英俊的家伙卷起了袖子，他穿着一件宽松的外套。他桌边的同伴都全神贯注地望着他。我轻呼道：“哦！那正是我要嫁的男人。”
“Yeah， right，” Stacy droned. “Tell us more about where youd like to live in New York， because we all plan to visit you there when you land this job.” As I spoke my gaze drifted back to the debonairdebonair adj.殷勤的， 高兴的， 快活的， 温文尔雅的 man.
Three months later my friends and I gathered at the same restaurant. “To life in the Big Apple！” they cheered as we tapped our glasses together. “My chance of a lifetime！” We talked for hours. I told them of my plan to save money by moving out of my beach cottage and renting a room for the few remaining months.
Our friend offered， “I have a fellow South African friend who is considering renting one of the four bedrooms in his house. His name is Barry. A great guy.” He scribbledscribble v.潦草地写， 乱写， 滥写 on a napkin. “This is his number. Hes a fortytwoyearold confirmed bachelor. Says hes much too busy being a single dad to be a husband.”
“哦，是不错，”斯泰西说，“不过，还是快说说你在纽约打算住哪儿？要知道我们都打算等你工作定了去那儿？要知道我们都打算等你工作定了去那儿看你。”我心不在焉地回答着她的问题，眼睛却不由自主地盯着那个神采飞扬的男人。
三个月后，我和朋友们又在同一家餐厅里。我们举杯庆祝，欢呼道：“为了纽约的新生活！”我们聊了几个小时，我总说这是我生命中的一次机遇。我告诉他们为省钱我决定搬出海边的小木屋，准备在离开前的几个月内租一间房屋住。
“我有一个来自南非的朋友，”一个朋友主动提出，“他叫巴里，是个很不错的家伙。”他在一张餐巾纸上写下了号码。“这是他的电话，他是个42岁坚定的单身主义者。他戏言自己因忙于做一个单身父亲而没有时间再做丈夫。”
I made an appointment to see the room the same day. I approachedapproach vt.接近， 动手处理 vi.靠近 the entrance of the spaciousspacious adj.广大的， 大规模的 house， and the door opened. “You must be Michelle，” he said. He pushed up the sleeves of his bulkybulky adj.大的， 容量大的， 体积大的 sweater and flashed his handsome smile. It was the man from the restaurant months before—the man I wanted to marry.
I stood staring， my mouth gaping， hoping I wasnt drooling.
“You are Michelle， arent you？” he said， coaxingcoaxing adj.哄骗（的） me out of my trance. “Would you like to see the room？”
I followed him through a tour of the house， then accepted when he offered me a cup of tea. Barry had a sophisticatedsophisticated adj.久经世故的 kindness about him and listened attentively as I chattered nervously about myself.
当天，我便预约去看房子。我正朝那所大房子走去时，门开了。“你一定是米歇尔，”他说着，卷起他宽松外套的衣袖，脸上露出迷人的微笑。这就是我想要嫁的那个男人——几个月前我在饭店见过他。
我目瞪口呆地站在那里，希望自己没有失态。
“你就是米歇尔，对吗？”他打断了我的思绪，说道：“你想看看房间吗？”
巴里非常善解人意，他很认真地听我在那唠唠叨叨、喋喋不休。
His silverrimmed glasses accented a few gray streaks in his dark hair. Soon， his warm， inviting smile put me at ease， and we spent the next two hours talking casually. Ultimatelyultimately adv.最后， 终于 ， I decided not to take the room and reluctantly bade him goodbye.
The months went by quickly while I busied myself with preparation for the move. I thought of Barry often， but couldnt consider calling him.
“Im moving to New York in three weeks，” I said to Stacy as we walked out of my office and into the dining area. “As much as Id like to see him again， it would only complicatecomplicate v.(使)变复杂 my life.”
“Well， brace yourself for complicationscomplication n.复杂化 ，” Stacy muttered， then nodded toward the door. Barry， with his big blue eyes and engaging smile， walked into my restaurant.
他戴着镶银边的眼镜，这使得几缕白发在深色头发中显得很醒目。没多久，他那迷人的笑容就彻底征服了我。在接下来的两个小时里，我们聊得很愉快。最后，我决定不租那房间，并依依不舍地和他道别。
几个月时间很快就过去了，在这期间，我一直为搬家的事而忙碌。虽然我常常想到巴里，却不曾想过要打电话给他。
一天，当我和斯泰西离开我的办公室走向饭厅时，我说：“再过三个星期，我就要去纽约了，再见他一面，只会使我的生活变得一团糟。”