The Debt Collector of Promises
那个星期三的下午，门口响起一声很轻的敲门声。
That (M) Wednesday (POSS) afternoon, door-mouth ring-up one (M) very light (POSS) knock-door sound.
That Wednesday afternoon, there was a soft knock at the door.
我开门的时候，看见一位陌生的女人。
I open-door (POSS) time, see one (M) stranger (POSS) woman.
When I opened the door, I saw a woman I didn't know.
她穿着一件灰色的大衣，手里拿着一个旧本子。
She wear (CONT) one (M) gray (POSS) big-coat, hand inside hold (CONT) one (M) old notebook.
She wore a gray coat, and held an old notebook in her hand.
她对我笑了一下，很有礼貌地说：“您好，我是来收账的。”
She toward me smile (PERF) one bit, very have-manners (ADV) say: "You good, I come collect-debt (POSS)."
She gave me a small, polite smile and said, “Good afternoon. I'm here to collect a debt.”
我以为她找错了人。
I think she find-wrong (PERF) person.
I thought she must have the wrong house.
“您一定是搞错了，我从来没有借过别人的钱。”
"You certainly is do-wrong (PERF), I never not have borrow (EXP) other-person (POSS) money."
“You've made a mistake — I've never borrowed money from anyone.”
她轻轻地摇了摇头：“这不是关于钱的事。”
She softly (ADV) shake (PERF) shake head: "This not is about money (POSS) matter."
She gently shook her head. “This isn't about money.”
“您二十年前答应过一位老人一件事，到今天还没做。”
"You twenty year before promise (EXP) one (M) old-person one (M) matter, until today still not do."
“Twenty years ago you promised an old man something, and you still haven't done it.”
“答应过老人？”我感到很奇怪，“我那时候才十岁。”
"Promise (EXP) old-person?" I feel very strange, "I that time only ten year."
“Promised an old man?” I felt confused. “I was only ten back then.”
“您当时在一个公共汽车站，等下午三点的车。”
"You that time at one (M) public bus station, wait afternoon three o'clock (POSS) car."
“You were at a bus stop, waiting for the three o'clock bus.”
“您身边坐着一位老爷爷，他给您讲了一个故事。”
"Your beside sit (CONT) one (M) old-grandfather, he for you tell (PERF) one (M) story."
“An old man sat beside you. He told you a story.”
“故事讲完，他对您说：‘等你长大，请把这个故事讲给你的孩子听。’”
"Story tell-finish, he toward you say: ‘Wait you grow-up, please (BA) this (M) story tell-give your (POSS) child hear.’"
“When he finished, he said to you, ‘When you grow up, please tell this story to your children.’”
“您当时说：‘好，我答应你。’”
"You that time say: ‘Good, I promise you.’"
“And you said, ‘Yes, I promise.’”
我站在门口，一时说不出话来。
I stand at door-mouth, one time say-not-out word come.
I stood in the doorway, unable for a moment to say anything.
那个下午的事，我好像有一点点印象，可是早就忘了内容。
That (M) afternoon (POSS) matter, I seem have one bit-bit impression, but early then forget (PERF) content.
I had the faintest memory of that afternoon, but I had long forgotten what was said.
那位老人的样子，我也想不起来了。
That (M) old-person (POSS) appearance, I also think-not-up (PERF).
I couldn't even remember what the old man looked like.
“可是我连那个故事都不记得了。”我说。
"But I even that (M) story all not remember (PERF)." I say.
“But I don't even remember the story,” I said.
她翻开手里的本子，看了一眼，然后说：“您还有三天的时间。”
She flip-open hand inside (POSS) notebook, look (PERF) one eye, then say: "You still have three day (POSS) time."
She opened her notebook, glanced at it, and said, “You have three days.”
“三天以后，如果您还没把故事讲给孩子听，我就得收账了。”
"Three day after, if you still not (BA) story tell-give child hear, I then must collect-debt (PERF)."
“In three days, if you still haven't told the story to your child, I'll have to collect the debt.”
“收什么账？”
"Collect what debt?"
“Collect what?”
她又笑了一下，没回答，只说：“祝您好运。”
She again smile (PERF) one bit, not answer, only say: "Wish you good luck."
She smiled once more, did not answer, and only said, “Good luck.”
然后她转身慢慢地走了。
Then she turn-body slowly (ADV) walk (PERF).
Then she turned and walked slowly away.
那一夜我没怎么睡。
That one night I not how sleep.
I hardly slept that night.
二十年前的那个下午一直在我脑子里转。
Twenty year before (POSS) that (M) afternoon continuously at my brain inside turn.
That afternoon from twenty years ago kept turning in my mind.
第一天，我什么也想不起来。
First day, I anything also think-not-up.
On the first day, I could remember nothing.
第二天，我想起了那位老人手里拿着一把旧雨伞。
Second day, I think-up (PERF) that (M) old-person hand inside hold (CONT) one (M) old umbrella.
On the second day, I remembered that the old man held an old umbrella in his hand.
我还记得他笑起来的时候，眼睛会变得很小。
I still remember he smile-up (POSS) time, eye will become very small.
I remembered that when he smiled, his eyes grew very small.
第三天早上，我闭上眼睛，慢慢地呼吸。
Third day morning, I close eye, slowly (ADV) breathe.
On the third morning, I closed my eyes and breathed slowly.
突然，那个故事一句一句地回到我心里。
Suddenly, that (M) story one (M) one (M) (ADV) return-to my heart inside.
Suddenly the story came back to me, sentence by sentence.
那是一个关于一只小鸟和一棵老树的故事。
That is one (M) about one (M) small bird and one (M) old tree (POSS) story.
It was a story about a little bird and an old tree.
小鸟每年春天回来，给老树带来远方的消息。
Small bird every year spring return-come, for old tree bring-come far-place (POSS) news.
Every spring the little bird returned to bring the old tree news from far away.
老树不能走，可是它通过小鸟看见了整个世界。
Old tree not able walk, but it through small bird see (PERF) whole world.
The tree could not move, but through the bird it saw the whole world.
故事的最后说：“爱一个人，就是让他通过你看到更多的世界。”
Story (POSS) last say: "Love one (M) person, just is make him through you see more (POSS) world."
The story ended: “To love someone is to let them see more of the world through you.”
那天晚上，我把女儿抱在床边，慢慢地把这个故事讲给她听。
That day evening, I (BA) daughter hold at bed-side, slowly (ADV) (BA) this (M) story tell-give her hear.
That night, I held my daughter at the bedside and slowly told her the story.
她听完，对我笑了笑，然后慢慢地睡着了。
She listen-finish, toward me smile (PERF) smile, then slowly (ADV) sleep (PERF).
When I finished, she smiled at me and slowly fell asleep.
我坐在她床边，看着她，眼里慢慢有了水。
I sit at her bed-side, look (CONT) her, eye inside slowly have (PERF) water.
I sat by her bed, watching her, my eyes slowly filling.
第四天，我等了一整天。
Fourth day, I wait (PERF) one whole day.
On the fourth day, I waited all day.
那位灰大衣的女人再也没有出现。
That (M) gray coat (POSS) woman again also not have appear.
The woman in the gray coat never came back.
可是从那以后，我每个星期都给女儿讲一个故事。
But from that after, I every (M) week all for daughter tell one (M) story.
But ever since, I have told my daughter a story every week.
我开始想：这个世界上，会不会还有别人，也欠着一个没讲完的故事？
I begin think: this world on, will not will still have other-person, also owe (CONT) one (M) not tell-finish (POSS) story?
And I have begun to wonder: somewhere in the world, is someone else still carrying an unfinished promise — a story they once owed?