The Coffee Place

咖啡厅

I used to believe courtesy¹ was a thing of the past. Very seldom have I encountered a courteous² human being in this modern era of the so called Generation X.

我曾经一度认为礼节是过去才为人崇尚的事。在如今这个被称作“被遗忘的一代”的现代社会中，我已经很难碰到一个能被称作是“绅士”的人。

Recently, I had to change my thinking, when I came face to face with just such a human being. I had gone to a happening coffee place, with two of my grown up daughters. The place was crowded with the usual loud crowd and we had to climb a steep flight of stairs in order to find an empty table. After enjoying coffee and snacks, we were at the steep descent³ down the stairs, where the narrow space made climbing down only possible in a single file, with hardly any space for another person to either climb up or come down.

最近，在我遇到这样一个人后，我的想法改变了。我和两个已成年的女儿一起去了一家咖啡厅。但这家咖啡厅挤满了吵闹的人群，所以我们不得不爬上陡峭的楼梯才找到了空桌。在享用过咖啡和点心之后，我们走在陡峭的楼梯上准备下楼，在那样狭窄的空间里只能供一个人上下楼，几乎没有任何空间可以让另一个人爬上去或下来。

Just as I was in the middle of my descent, a gentleman entered the main entrance of the restaurant which was right in front of the staircase⁴. I was sure I would be pushed roughly by this man who will want to go up in a hurry. I kept coming down as fast as I could, holding on to the bannister, in lieu of my advanced years. My agile⁵ daughters were already down, looking up at me worriedly, hoping I would reach them before the stranger started up the stairs, knowing I was a nervous sort.

当我下楼梯走到一半时，一个绅士从咖啡厅的正门，也是楼梯的右前方走了进来。我敢肯定我会被这个着急上楼的人粗暴地推开。于是我抓住了扶手，并用我有史以来最快的速度下楼。我那两个动作敏捷的女儿已经下楼了，她们忧心忡忡地抬头看着我，希望我能够在这个陌生人上楼前下来，因为她们知道我是一个容易神经紧张的人。

Nearly reaching them, I noticed the man still standing⁶ near the door. I reached my daughters and passed the stranger at the entrance door which he kept holding open. I looked back thinking he was still at the door, deciding whether to go in or find another less crowded place. I saw him going up the stairs, two at a time. I told my daughters about it and all three of us felt bad that we did not even thank the courteous gentleman who was actually holding the door open for us ladies to pass through before going up.

在快走到楼下时，我注意到那个人仍然站在门口。我走到我的女儿身边，经过那个站在门口的陌生人身旁时发现他用手抵住了门。我回头看了看，以为他还在门口，决定着是否要进去光顾或是找另一家人少的店。但我看见他以一步两阶楼梯的速度上了楼。我把我看到的告诉了女儿们，我们三个人都因为那位彬彬有礼的绅士在上楼前拉住了门让我们先行，但我们因没有感谢他而深感愧疚。

We applauded⁷ his chivalry⁸ for both, waiting for us to come down before going up himself and also holding the main entrance door open for us to go out. Such well mannered people are hard to find these days, when shoving⁹, jostling and pushing is very common in our advanced but aggressive society. Till date, I remember this gentleman and pray to God to make more human beings like him.

那位绅士在上楼前等待我们先下楼，并且为我们拉开门以方便我们出去，我们都为他这样的骑士精神赞不绝口。在当今推搡冲撞现象横行、先进却激进的社会中，这样有礼貌的人着实难寻。直到今天，我仍记得这位先生，祈求上帝能让更多的人和他一样以礼待人。