I grew up poor--living in the projects with six brothers, three sisters, a varying assortment1 of foster kids, my father, and a wonderful mother, Hunley. We had little money and few worldly goods, but plenty of love and attention. I was happy and energetic2. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could still afford a dream.
My dream was athletics3. By the time I was sixteen, I could crush a baseball, throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and hit anything that moved on the football field. I was also lucky: My high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis, who not only believed in me, but taught me how to believe in myself. One particular incident with Coach Jarvis changed my life forever.
It was the summer between my junior and senior years, and a friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket -- cash for dates with girls, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother.
Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule. When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as mad as I expected him to be. "You have your whole life to work," he said. "Your playing days are limited. You can't afford to waste them."
I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the words that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house was worth facing his disappointment in me.
"How much are you going to make at this job, son?" he demanded. "Three twenty-five an hour," I replied. "Well," he asked, "is $ 3.25 an hour the price of a dream?"
That question, the plainness of it, laid bare4 for me the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I dedicated5 myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookieleague ball, and offered a $ 20,000 contract. I already had a football scholarship to the University of Arizona, which led me to an education, two consensus6 selections as Ali-American linebacker7 and being chosen seventh overall in the first round of the NFL draft. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $1.7 million, and bought my mother the house of my dreams.
我自幼家境清贫,在那间低收入家庭住宅区的房子里,我和我的六个兄弟三个姐妹——一群各色各样的、领养来的孩子——以及我的爸爸,还有一个无与伦比的妈妈亨利住在一起。虽然我们没有什么钱,财产也少得可怜,但是我们洋溢着爱和关怀。我不仅幸福快乐,而且精力充沛。我知道不管一个人多么贫穷,他仍旧能够拥有梦想。
我的梦想是体育运动。当我16岁的时候,我已经能把棒球击破,投出每小时90英里的快球,并且能击中任何在美式足球场上移动的东西。同时,我也非常幸运:我的中学教练是奥利·贾维斯,他不仅对我充满信心,而且还教会了我如何对自己充满自信。正是一件发生在我和贾维斯教练之间的事情永远地改变了我的生活。
那是在我升高中的那个夏天,朋友推荐我去打一份暑期工。这就意味着我的口袋里将会有钱——有钱去和女孩子约会,当然,也有钱去买一辆新自行车,添置一些新衣服,而且,我还可以开始攒钱为妈妈买一套房子。
那时我也意识到,为了保证打工的时间安排,我将不得不放弃暑假的棒球训练。当我把这件事告诉给贾维斯教练的时候,他果然就像我预料中的那样非常生气,“你有一辈子的时间来工作,”他说,“你打棒球的日子却是非常有限的。你浪费不起呀!”
我低着头站在他的面前,绞尽脑汁地思考着如何才能向他解释清楚,我要给妈妈买一套房子,为了实现这个梦想,我甘愿去面对他对我的失望。
“孩子,你做这份工作能挣多少钱?”他问道。“1小时3.25美元,”我答道。“那么,”他问,“难道一个梦想的价格就是1小时3.25美元吗?”
这个问题,再简单清楚不过了,却向我揭示了注重眼前得失与树立长远目标的区别。那年夏天,我全身心地投入到了体育运动中去,而就在那一年,我被匹兹堡海盗队选中去打新秀联盟赛,并且签订了20000美元的合约。此外,我已经获得了亚利桑那大学的美式足球奖学金,这让我得到接受大学教育的机会;而且,我两次全票当选为“全美美式足球中后卫”,还在美国全国美式足球联盟第一轮选拔中总分名列第七。1984年,我与丹佛野马队签订了170万美元的合约,终于圆了为我妈妈买一套房子的梦想。
注释
①assortment n.分类;花色品种
②energetic adj.精力充沛的
③athletics n.体育运动,竞技
④bare adj.赤裸的;空的;缺乏的
⑤dedicate vt.贡献,奉献
⑥consensus n.(意见等的)一致,合意; 一致意见,舆论
⑦linebacker n.(美式橄榄球)中后卫
梦想无价 The Priceless Dream
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