感人故事: 稀有的蒙古兔

 

一天早上，我拿着一本多年前从国内带来的英语沙龙，递给我太太, 说有一片好文章，让她读读，就当练习英文了，太太捧着那本已经发黄了的杂志读起来，眼泪也不自主地流下来。

 

小女儿进了卧室，探头探脑，发现太太看着书在流泪，就不声不响地拿来餐巾纸。太太说，看了一个很感人的故事，你要听吗？她点点头。太太就用中文夹着英文给她讲一遍，她似乎听懂了，太太一边讲，眼泪又一次地流下来。

对一个曾帮助过你并同时维护了你自尊的人，一个曾向你伸出援助之手而不贬低你自身能力的人，一个相信在生活中藏有一只稀有蒙古兔的人，你该如何表达自己的感激之情呢？生活中常常有很细致很入微很让人终生感动！

 

 稀有的蒙古兔

 Maureen Nunn

 

       我听到丈夫即将“下岗”的消息，当时的震惊令我永远无法忘怀。

　　那时我们的婚姻已经经历了10个年头，约翰向我表露了对于这噩梦般遭遇的忧虑。他向我保证，将尽一切努力找到新工作来维持生计。我们有3个不到5岁的孩子，还有一个马上就要出世，约翰是全家惟一的经济支柱。

　　“生活还要继续，”约翰说，看起来他比我乐观得多，“我们至少还拥有健康，失去的只不过是份工作。另外，公司会继续发3个月的工资，在这期间我肯定能找到新工作，用不着担心。”

　　约翰毕业于名牌大学，具有优异的工作背景，我相信他的自信是有道理的。约翰早年丧父，他很早就肩负起了照顾母亲和弟弟妹妹的责任。他还曾是奥运健将，懂得如何面对挑战、如何苦干加巧干。但是几个月过去了，他仍未找到工作。我越来越害怕，对他的“迷信”也开始动摇。如果他找不到工作该怎么办？若不是有孕在身，我可以回学校教书，问题是距离我们第四个孩子的出生已经不到3个月了。

　　我们的存款所剩不多，分期贷款已经拖欠了两个月，又没有其他收入来源，我得节衣缩食。最后连吃饭的钱都快没有了。

　　有一天在带着孩子逛超市时，我注意到一个男孩正往纸箱里装熟过头的水果和过期食品。我迟疑地问他要把这些食品送到哪里，他说：“削价处理，处理不掉的就扔掉。”我看着那些老胡萝卜、芹菜和西红柿，足够我们全家吃几个星期。我想，用什么办法能体面地为孩子们讨一点食物呢？

　　“我们有只稀有的蒙古兔！”我脱口而出，扫了一眼3个饥饿的孩子，“我想给它买点食物。”

　　他很干脆地答道：“既然是给兔子吃，我就不收钱了。”那天他一共把5箱食物装进我车里，一边忙着，一边跟我聊天。我讲我们即将添一张嘴的家庭，他也讲了自己的情况。他叫杰弗，出身于一个拮据的五口之家，在这里打工，是为了付大学学费。
　　几个星期过去了，杰弗开始把过期和包装破损的盒装食品也装进箱里。这些花生酱、汤料和奶酪还可以吃，按规定却要扔掉。“小兔子肯定喜欢吃这些东西。”他解释为什么要送这些东西给我们。几个月后，我们发现食品下面还藏有洗衣粉、牛奶、果汁、黄油……品种越来越多。后来每次杰弗集满一箱“兔食”就会给我打电话，还时不时送上家门。但他从来没问过小兔子的情况，每次把东西放下就离去。

　　第四个孩子出生时，我喜中有忧，担心未来的家庭开支。“上帝啊，求求你，”我祈祷道，“你曾许诺我们的苦难永远不会超过我们的承受能力。我们该怎么办呢？”这时丈夫悄悄走进产房，说：“我有一个好消息，还有一个坏消息。好消息是今天上午我找到一份很好的工作。”我闭上眼睛，感谢上帝对我们的恩赐。“坏消息是，”他继续说道，“那只蒙古小兔子不见了。”
　　后来我再去那家超市，杰弗已经不在那里工作了。据超市经理讲，正当我为婴儿出世忙碌时，他搬家了，没有留下新地址。
　　我默默发誓，一定要回报那些在患难时期帮助我们的好心人。此后10年里，我履行了自己的诺言。但是我的心愿并没完全了结，直到10年后的一天，我遇见杰弗站在超市办公室门前，胸前佩戴着“经理”的工作卡。
　　对一个曾帮助过你并同时维护了你自尊的人，一个曾向你伸出援助之手而不贬低你自身能力的人，一个相信在生活中藏有一只稀有蒙古兔的人，你该如何表达自己的感激之情呢？对于杰弗的升迁我一点都不意外，他具有特殊的天赋，懂得如何倾听我特殊的祈求。

　　“纳恩太太！”他兴奋地喊道，“我经常想你和你们一家。小兔子怎么样了？”他轻声地问。

　　握着杰弗的手，我眨了眨眼，低声说：“谢谢你的关心。那只兔子很久以前就离开我们了，我们过得好极了。”

The Rare Mongolian Rabbit

By Maureen Nunn
 

Perhaps the frequency with which it so often happens nowadays should have lessened the pain；misery does love company, after all. But hearing that my husband’s job would be“phased out ”was unforgettable and shocking.

John, my husband of ten years, expressed his concern over this nightmare occurrence. He assured me that he would do everything possible to get a job to provide for our family. With three children under the age of five and one due very shortly, we relied on his income entirely.

“Life goes on, ”John said, more outwardly upbeat than I over the situation. “We have our health, and after all, it’s only a job. Besides, the company will continue paying me for three more months. I’ll surely have a new job by then, just relax and don’ t worry. ”
 

With his excellent university and professional credentials, I figured he must be right. He was a former Olympic athlete and knew about taking on a challenge. His father died when John was young, so he took on the responsibility of keeping his mother, sister, and brother. My husband knew how to work hard and smart. But as the months passed and no job possibilities materialized for him, I grew more and more fearful and less“faith-abiding”. What if he couldn’t find a job？Under other circum stances I could have returned to class room teaching, but our fourth child was due in less than three months.

With little money in our savings ac count, the mortgage payment two months behind, and no possible income from any other source, I whittled away at our daily-living budget. Eventually our food budget became almost nonexistent. One day while in the supermarket with my children, I noticed a young box boy packing overly ripe fruit and outdated food into cardboard boxes. Hesitantly, I inquired about the destination of the food. “We sell it real cheap, and whatever isn’t sold is thrown away, ”he said. I eyed the aging carrots, celery, tomatoes. Food we could use for a week. What, I wondered, is the proper etiquette for begging for food for one’s children？

“We have a rare Mongolian rabbit.”I heard myself blurt out, glancing at my three hungry children. “I’d be interested in purchasing the food for the rabbit. ”He replied easily, “Since it’s just a rabbit, there won’t be any charge. ”That day he loaded five boxes of produce into my car. We talked while he worked, me sharing information about my soon-to-be-expanding family and him talking about his. His name was Jeff. I learned he came from a family of five where finances were tight. This job helped pay for his college education.

Weeks went by, and Jeff began packing the boxes with outdated or damaged items ——peanut butter, soup, and cheese——that were otherwise still good but would be thrown away. “Surely a rare rabbit would eat all these items , ”he said, explaining their inclusion. As the weeks turned into months, we discovered, hidden under the produce, laundry detergent, milk, juice, butter. . . The list goes on and on. Jeff started phoning me every time he had a box of“rabbit food”ready. Now and then, he brought the boxes to our house. He never inquired after the rabbit, instead he would just stop by to leave its food and be on his way.

When our fourth daughter was born, my elation was tinged with worry about our financial future. “O Lord, please, ”I begged. “You promised you would never give us more than we can handle. What do you want us to do？Help.”My husband slipped into the hospital room and said, “I have good news and sad news. The good news is that this morning I’ve been offered a very exciting job. ”I closed my eyes and thanked God for his many blessings. “The sad news, ”he continued, “is that the rare Mongolian rabbit is gone. ”

It turned out Jeff no longer worked at the supermarket. While I‘d been busy with the birth of our new baby, he had moved, the manager said, and left no forwarding address. Over the next ten years I made good on my silent promise to repay the kindness of all who had helped us throughout that difficult time. But my thanks were incomplete. Then one day, a decade later, there was Jeff standing in the store’s office. I noticed the title MANAGER on his name badge.

How does one adequately thank the person who offers assistance without compromising your pride, extends a hand without sapping your strength, and believes in the rare Mongolian rabbits hiding somewhere in each of our lives？I’m not surprised Jeff’s risen up the ranks. He has a rare gift. He knew how to listen loudly to my special plea. “Mrs. Nunn.”he exclaimed, “I think of you and your family often. How is the rabbit？”he inquired softly. Taking Jeff’s hands into mine, I whispered with a wink, “Thanks for asking. The rabbit moved on long ago, and we couldn’t be better. ”