2017-12-10

【Aiden in English】

        Brad was unhappy. He was tired, annoyed, and most of all, bored. As a twenty-five-year-old millennial, Brad felt that he had lived out all there was to live.

        Founder of a smash-hit social media, Brad was loaded. Beyond rich, even to his own imagination. He was a man of money, whose wealth transcended currency and numbers, and also the undeniably most successful man of his decade.

        One cloudy day, Brad awoke to the soft dripping of rain. Rubbing his eyes, he began a regular morning routine of dressing and washing. Walking downstairs, he flashed a brief smile to his butler Alfred, a man who not only respected Brad but understood his needs unlike any other. Also, Alfred was his only true friend, even though he was getting paid to stay around him.

        The drizzly dawn outside fit well in the dreary city of New York. Brad walked through Times Square, bustling with people, even on days like these. Raising his head, Brad peered through the raindrops to see a divine face: his own. Looking around, he noticed that no one seemed to care much for the multi-billionaire standing in their midst. Sighing, Brad retreated back to his apartment. A stranger nodded at his front porch. He returned with a smile.

        Reaching the top floor of his domain, Brad overlooked an awaking New York from his penthouse. One of many mornings in his lifetime. And yet every one of those mornings ended the same way as the previous: the covers of darkness. An endless cycle of life, something that most valued pricelessly. But Brad was sick of it. What was the point of living if nothing was going to change? Regardless of what Brad did, the sun was going to rise tomorrow. The current world governments were not going to collapse. He would most likely spend another day in this world, simply existing.

        The fact was that everything could be predicted. From stocks to the next Superbowl, Brad had a keen sixth sense to the future and events that would occur behind the scenes. A gift and a curse. Brad, unlike others, saw the world in numbers and variables, percentages, and probability. A man who could change the world.

        But he didn’t. Why? Men who had the ability to change the world always found ways to change it. Brad, a gifted man, whose destiny all but seemed was to change the world, was also a man of science and philosophy. A man who respected the universe and its vastness. 

        Brad looked out over the high rises of New York City, amused at people’s ignorance of the truth. The fact was, no matter what anyone did, he or she wasn’t going to change the universe. Insignificant beings in a reality stretching far beyond their control. While Brad understood the concept of the butterfly effect, such small actions of humans would never influence anything beyond the simple reaches of their society. Although people could solve problems, improve technology, and prosper all they want, no one was going to change the universe in any meaningful way.

        Crimes, business deals, international war, and all minuscule events occurred on an atomic scale of the universe. Even with all the money in the world, Brad could not change that fact. He could purchase a new boat or attempt a car accident. Neither of which would change anything outside of this little blue ball. 

        Apparently, with nothing better to do, Brad wandered through the streets of New York once more. Many of the buildings he had once visited to find jobs, now were irrelevant as the rest of the world.

        On his walk through the city, an object caught Brad’s eye. A cup, with black sharpie scribbles on the side. He gave a closer look at the handwriting, recognizing two words: “A Change”. Slightly adjusting his view, Brad saw a person staring back. An elderly man in rags, thin, pale-skin, gazing back in a desperate, hopeful look. A look shaken from life experiences. A look of unimportance, a look of darkness, a look of a shrunken universe, revolving about bare necessities. 

        Brad reached into his pocket and pulled out a few dollars. He carefully set it into the cup, nodding at the man. He smiled back and whispered a quiet “Thank you”. His eyes lightened momentarily.

        Brad returned home in an attempt to understand the previous events. Alfred met him at the entrance to his apartment, politely asking for assistance. Brad sighed and shook his head. Alfred, a man much older, gave him a concerning scan, and asked, “What bothers you, sir?”

        Brad raised his head to meet his gaze. He took a long deep breath, and let out a building pressure in his chest for weeks.

        “Why, Alfred, do we exist? To what point is it a successful life?”

        Alfred, surprisingly undisturbed, replied, “Well, I will say that you have had a much more successful life than others. Perhaps this is the peak of life you can reach.”

        “But then life is pointless! What am I going to be if all I have is money?” Brad threw up his hands in frustration. “One man cannot change the universe! I cannot change the universe!”

        “Oh, but Bradford, you can change others.”

        Brad was taken aback.

        Alfred continued. “Brad, you sometimes get caught up in your tiny universe, but you have to realize, you live in a multiverse, with billions and billions of universe thriving, changing around you. And each universe viewed through another human. Because your view of the universe may be wider than others, you are able to change universes of other people.”

        A sudden light flashed through Brad’s eyes. A moment of enlightenment. He until now had seemed too small to be relevant, a man who would pass through the universe, unable to alter its greatness.

        Brad turned and looked over the lights of New York. Suddenly, he felt responsibility like never before. He could change the universe of others. One perspective at a time.

【红霞译文】

        布拉德郁郁不乐。他身心疲惫，最要命的就是空虚无聊，千禧一代的他年方廿五岁，感觉早已经历人生所有一切。

        作为热门社交媒体创始人，布拉德富得流油，甚至超乎自己的想象。他家财万贯，有的是钱，堪称同时代最成功的典范。

        一天多云，布拉德醒来外面正下着霏霏细雨。他揉了揉眼睛，像往常早起一样穿衣洗漱，下楼见到管家阿尔弗雷德脸上露出一丝微笑。不像其他人，阿尔弗雷德不仅敬重布拉德，而且对其所需了如指掌。尽管按劳取酬，但阿尔弗雷德却是布拉德唯一真正的朋友。

        晨雨让昏暗的纽约市显得非常沉闷，布拉德穿过时代广场，街上熙熙攘攘，即使这种天气也不例外。他抬起头，透过雨点看到一副尊容：自己那张脸；再环顾四周，竟然没发现有谁在乎他们中间站着这样一位亿万富翁。布拉德叹了口气，转身返回公寓，走到前门露台时有位陌生人冲他点头示意，他以微笑回应。

        布拉德登上自家空中别墅顶层，鸟瞰苏醒中的纽约，不知有多少个早晨他呆在这里，而且每回都跟上次一样：夜色笼罩。生命周而复始，是无价之宝，不过布拉德对此感到厌恶，如果总是按部就班，那么生活的意义何在？无论布拉德做些什么，明天太阳照常升起，国际政体不会土崩瓦解，而他极有可能在这个世界上再多活一天，无异于当一天和尚撞一天钟。

        现实中所有一切均可预测，从当下股票行情到明年超级碗，布拉德单凭第六感官就能推断未来及幕后发生的事情，无论好的还是坏的。唯有不同地，他用数字变量和百分比概率的方式来审视世界，是一位可以改变世界的牛人。

        但他啥也没做，为什么？有本身改变世界的人终归能找到改变世界的方法，天赋异禀的布拉德既懂得科学又讲究哲理，好像生来注定要改变世界，是一位深明天广地阔的智人。

        布拉德望着纽约摩天大楼，对于轻蔑真理之辈视如敝屣，实际上，无论你怎么努力都不能改变整个世界，蚍蜉撼树谈何容易。布拉德熟谙蝴蝶效应，单靠人力决不会对自身社会以外的任何事物产生影响。诚然，我们可以解决问题，进行技术革新，推动社会繁荣，然而却无法以主观意识改变客观体系。

        犯罪行为、商务交易、国际争端以及各种鸡毛蒜皮的事件像宇宙间原子碰撞一样时有发生，布拉德再有钱也不能扭转乾坤。他可以购买新船或者蓄意撞车，但偏偏对地球以外的任何东西束手无策。

        既然无所事事，倒不如出门再溜达两步。以前找工时布拉德曾经出入过这里很多办公楼，如今已然跟他毫不相干。

        布拉德走街串巷，突然有样东西引起他的注意，一只杯子外面用黑油笔画的涂鸦。他仔细端详手写字迹，认出两个单词：“零钱”，再换个角度打量，发现有人正注视着自己，这位衣衫褴褛枯瘦如柴面色苍白的老人绝望地盯住他，眼里充满期待，一种震撼人生的表情，一种卑微茫然的表情，一种暗淡失落的表情，一种颓废消沉的表情，只为买些生活必需品。

        布拉德把手伸进口袋，掏出几块美钞，小心翼翼地将钱放入杯中，向他点了点头。老人报以微笑，低声说了句“谢谢”，眼光瞬间变得明亮起来。

        布拉德回到家中，试图捋清过去的往事。阿尔弗雷在门口碰到了他，礼貌地询问要不要帮忙，布拉德一边叹气一边摇头，年长的阿尔弗雷关切地追问道：“先生，怎么了？”

        布拉德抬起头目视前方，深吸一口气，呼气时把几周来积压在胸的苦衷一齐吐了出来。

        “阿尔弗雷德，为什么我们活着呢？成功的人生究竟是什么样子？

        阿尔弗雷德不动声色，回答道：“要我说你比别人成功，也许这就是人生之巅。”

        “可是那样的生活毫无意义！如果我有的只是钱，又有什么用呢？”布拉德沮丧地挥动双手：“一个人无法改变整个世界！我不能改变整个世界！”

        “哦，但布拉德福德，你能让别人改变。”

        布拉德大吃一惊。

        阿尔弗雷德继续说：“布拉德，有时你被禁锢在自己狭小空间中，但必须意识到，你所生活的多元化大千世界里，身边数十亿的宇宙星体正在蓬勃发展，每个人各有观点，正因为你眼界宽，所以有能力改变别人的生存环境。”

        布拉德眼前一亮，心里豁然开朗，其实不该因为身单力薄而将使命置身事外。

        布拉德转过身来凝望纽约夜灯，一种从未有过的责任感在他心中油然而生，他可以改变别人的世界，一步一个脚印。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2016: Holiday Gathering(节日团聚)

2013： Rub Al Khai Desert Safari, UAE(阿联酋鲁卜哈利沙漠飙车)

Crosslinks(相关博文):

9th Grade Short Story─Reunion(短篇小说─相逢)

8th Grade Flash Story─My Glory to Your Honor(小小说─为你骄傲)

8th Grade Flash Story─Sleep is Bliss(小小说─能睡是福)

6th Grade Flash Story─Crisis on Mulberry Street(小小说─桑树街危机)

3rd Grade Flash Story─Halloween(小小说─万圣节)