2016-04-12

【Aiden in English】

        So, PSSA’s all rolling around, and they suck. I mean, sure, they determine how good your school is. But do we really need three hours to answer six questions as for the seventh and eighth graders? A piece of advice my friends gave me in the fourth grade was to bring gum. This year, mom and I happened to run out. Therefore, on her way at Costco, mom swiftly snatched up a box of Trident, as well as unplanned supplies like a bag of cute cumbers and a bowl of cherry tomatoes.

        The staffs of Costco at Montgomeryville know us pretty well. I remember when I was younger, the guy checking the receipt at the exit would sometimes draw a smiley face on the back from time to time, making me laugh. Now, I’m too cool to go to the store, and thus I stay home and do whatever. Mom went shopping for gum and groceries. Apparently, there was a mistake. As mom was checking out, the cashier cheerfully chatted with mom about the flower dress and violet coat mom had put on and didn’t add on the third item: the Trident. As usual, mom got the receipt and hardly took a second look at it. When mom went to the lady standing at the doorway that checked the receipts, she noticed it was missing an item. As soon as the manager was called and made a copy of her receipt, the gum came free. According to him, it was a “Customer First Policy” where all mistakes are made up this way. Mom believed it was unnecessary, as she could simply just pay for it anyway, plus it would save time, but instead, we got a discount. Mom has been a frequent shopper at Costco for more than 20 years and never experienced it before.

        Here, why am I telling you this unexpected incident? Well, for one, it is not a Costco commercial, but I don’t discourage you from going there. The entire point of mom going to the store was to get gum, and the fact that it came for free was quite something. Besides, even if it was another of the items that weren’t scanned, she wouldn’t have minded if it was returned. I guess life can really throw a twist at you, at times for the good too.

【紅霞譯文】

        終於，賓州學校評估考試滾滾襲來，其實純屬添亂，依我說衡量老師教學水平固然無可厚非，但犯得上讓初中二、三年級的學生耗費三個鐘頭來回答六個問題嗎？早在小學四年級時哥兒們曾告誡口香糖醒腦提神，可當下我和媽媽竟把它忘得一乾二淨。沒轍，媽媽只好在下班後取道好市多倉儲量販店專門購買一盒“三叉戟”牌口香糖，尚不覺過癮，順手又捎回一袋小黃瓜和一盆櫻桃西紅柿。

        賓州蒙哥馬利小鎮裡有一家“好市多”，其工作人員大都跟我們很熟，記得小時候每每買完東西，出口處當班稽查職工經常會在收據的背面給我畫上一個笑臉，逗得我禁不住哈哈大笑。如今我長大了，對超市商場唯恐避之不及，情願呆在家裡做自己想做的事情，因此添置口香糖以及購買食物的重任全部落到媽媽肩上。顯然今天非同以往，當媽媽交錢付賬時，女出納員一見到她身穿花苞連衣裙和紫色風衣外套立刻攀談起來，結果忘記結算第三樣物品：口香糖。按照慣例，媽媽接過收據後對上面羅列各項從不過目，何況當時光顧得聊天，注意力根本沒放在購物上。媽媽來到門口直到覆核人員查驗時才發現帳單上缺了一項貨品，商店經理聞訊趕到現場，當即複製一份收據清單，並慷慨將口香糖免費送給了媽媽。根據公司“顧客至上的規章制度”，好市多承擔一切因疏忽而導致的經濟責任。媽媽認為完全沒有必要，既然賣方無意出錯，買方願補缺額，再說這樣反倒節省時間，哪想天上掉餡餅。過去廿年間，媽媽可謂好市多常客，但有生以來還是頭一次經歷今天這番奇遇。

        在這裡我何必要如此大張旗鼓地昭示天下呢？首先，我之所以這麼說並非要替好市多推銷業務，恰恰相反，本人從不打擊你去那裡購物的積極性。媽媽原想自掏腰包購買口香糖，不料最後帶回來的所需商品卻是免費的，如果換成可買可不買的黃瓜或西紅柿，恐怕她都會算了。在我看來，人生本身充滿戲劇性，有時不免叫你驚喜連連。