It was a hot,muggy August afternoon,and I had every reason to feel sorry for myself.A comedy of hassles began with the normal airport security gauntlet,followed by a random drug test,and a missed flight home due to a number of mechanical,weather and late inbound flight problems.Now my flight home was full and late.

During the usual pandemonium at the gate,I noticed a 5-year-old boy standing by his mother and watching me.He looked at me,then my bag,then back at me.

Cautiously,he left his mother's side and slowly began to walk toward me,glancing between my bag,his mother,and me.

"Great,"I thought,"now I have to baby-sit a 5-year-old.My day is now completed."

As he came closer,I was both relieved and alarmed that it wasn't me he was after.It was my hat!

I started to tell him not to bother my things,but something made me stop and watch.He stopped in front of my bag,looking at my hat,then up at me.

With wide eyes,he gently touched the bill of my hat,running his index finger slowly along the edge,carefully touching the emblem.

Again,he looked up at me,now smiling,but saying nothing.I asked him if he would like to wear my captain hat.

He excitedly nodded his head,still smiling.I placed my hat on his head,but it fell down around his ears.He didn't seem to mind and held it up in the proper position with both hands.He ran to show his mother,then bach to me still smiling from ear to ear.

With much reverence and ceremony,he slowly removed my hat with both hands and presented it to me as though it were the crown jewels.

I put my hat on and gave him an airplane card.This,too,he held with both hands in awe.

After this exchange,he still hadn't spoken,although I knew he was excited.I also was happy that I had been briefly distracted from my selfpity fest.

Still holding the card carefully with both hands,he looked up at me and said,"Mister,you sure are lucky."

"Yes,"I said,"I sure am."

I contemplated the wisdom of a 5-year-old,as I got the last seat on that flight home.

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　　It was a muggy[闷热的] afternoon, and I had every reason to feel sorry for myself. A comedy of hassles[麻烦事] began with the normal airport security gauntlet[长手套], followed by a random[随机的] drug test, and a missed flight due to a number of mechanical, weather and late inbound[入境的] flight problems. Now my flight home was full and late.
　　那是一个潮湿闷热的下午，我完全有理由为自己掬一把同情之泪。一系列麻烦事从机场的常规安检开始，接着是毒品抽检，再加上机械故障、恶劣天气和入港延迟等诸多问题令我错过了班机。现在我的回程航班不但晚点了，还人满为患。

　　I noticed a five-year-old boy standing by his mother and watching me. Cautiously[小心地], he began to walk toward me.
　　我发现一个五岁小男孩站在他母亲身边看着我。他开始小心翼翼地向我走来。

　　“Great,” I thought. “I have to baby-sit a five-year-old. My day is now complete.”
　　“好极了，”我想。“我还得照看一个五岁小孩。这一天算是全完了。”

　　As he came closer, I was both relieved and alarmed that it wasn’t me he was after. With wide eyes, he gently touched the bill[帽舌] of my hat, carefully touching the emblem[徽记]. I asked him if he would like to wear my captain hat, and he excitedly nodded his head. With my hat on his head, he ran to show his mother, then back to me smiling from ear to ear.
　　等他来到身边时，我先是松了口气，接着有点不安，因为他并不是冲着我来的。他睁大了眼睛，轻轻地碰了碰我的帽舌，又小心地摸了摸上面的徽标。我问他想不想戴一下我的船长帽，他兴奋不已地点了点头。他戴上我的帽子，跑去给他母亲看，然后回到我面前，乐得合不拢嘴。

　　I put my hat on and gave him an airplane card. He held it with both hands in awe. I was happy that I had been briefly distracted from my self-pity fest[节庆]. He looked up at me and said, “Mister, you sure are lucky.”
　　我戴上帽子，给了他一张飞机卡。他充满敬畏地用双手捧着它。令人高兴的是，这件事把我的注意力从自怨自艾中暂时抽离了出来。他抬起头来看着我说：“先生，您真幸运。”

　　“Yes,” I said, “I sure am.”
　　“是的，”我说，“我确实很幸运。”

　　I contemplated[深思] the wisdom of a five-year-old as I got the last seat on that flight home.
　　我坐在回程班机的最后一个座位上，一个五岁男孩的睿智让我思绪万千。