The Tea Shop on the Other Street
父亲走的那天，下了一整天的雨。
Father go (POSS) that day, fall (PERF) one whole day (POSS) rain.
It rained all day on the day my father died.
第二天早上，雨停了，可是我心里还在下。
Second day morning, rain stop (PERF), but I heart inside still (CONT) fall.
The next morning the rain stopped, but inside me it kept falling.
我不想留在家里，就一个人出去走走。
I not want stay at home inside, then one person go-out walk-walk.
I didn't want to stay home, so I went out walking alone.
我顺着一条不熟悉的小街慢慢地走。
I follow (CONT) one (M) not familiar (POSS) small street slowly (ADV) walk.
I followed a small street I didn't know, walking slowly.
走着走着，我看见街边有一家很小的茶馆。
Walk (CONT) walk (CONT), I see street-side have one (M) very small (POSS) tea-house.
After a while, I noticed a tiny tea shop by the side of the street.
门口挂着一个旧旧的木牌子，上面写着“茶”。
Door-mouth hang (CONT) one (M) old-old (POSS) wood sign, above write (CONT) “tea”.
An old wooden sign hung at the door, with a single character: “Tea.”
里面只有一张桌子，一把椅子，一位老人。
Inside only have one (M) table, one (M) chair, one (M) old-person.
Inside there was only a table, a chair, and one old man.
他看了我一眼，什么也没问，就给我倒了一杯茶。
He look (PERF) me one eye, anything also not ask, then for me pour (PERF) one (M) tea.
He glanced at me, asked nothing, and poured me a cup of tea.
茶是热的，香气很轻，像春天早上的空气。
Tea is hot (POSS), fragrance very light, like spring morning (POSS) air.
The tea was hot, its scent light, like the air of an early spring morning.
我坐下来，慢慢地喝。
I sit down, slowly (ADV) drink.
I sat down and drank slowly.
老人一直没说话，只是安静地看着我。
Old-person continuously not speak, only is quietly (ADV) look (CONT) me.
The old man said nothing, only watched me quietly.
我也没说话。我心里有太多的话，可是一句也说不出来。
I also not speak. I heart inside have too many (POSS) word, but one (M) also say-not-out.
I didn't speak either. I had too many things to say, and not one of them would come out.
喝完茶，我站起来，对他点了点头。
Drink-finish tea, I stand up, toward him nod (PERF) nod head.
When I finished, I stood up and gave him a small nod.
他也点了点头。
He also nod (PERF) nod head.
He nodded back.
我走出门的时候，眼泪终于流了下来。
I walk-out door (POSS) time, tear finally flow (PERF) down.
As I stepped out the door, the tears finally came.
第二天我又来到那条街，想再去喝一杯茶。
Second day I again come-to that (M) street, want again go drink one (M) tea.
The next day I returned to that street, hoping for another cup of tea.
可是那家茶馆不见了。
But that (M) tea-house not see (PERF).
But the tea shop was gone.
门口、木牌子、老人——什么都没有，只剩下一面旧墙。
Door-mouth, wood sign, old-person — anything all not have, only remain one (M) old wall.
The doorway, the wooden sign, the old man — nothing was there, only an old wall.
我以为是自己记错了地方，可是我每天都来找，一年又一年。
I think is self remember-wrong (PERF) place, but I every day all come look-for, one year again one year.
I thought I had remembered the wrong place, but year after year I kept coming back to look.
几年以后，我已经长大，也找到了新的工作。
Several year after, I already grow-up, also find (PERF) new (POSS) work.
Years later I was older, with a new job and a new life.
有一次我在公共汽车上，看见一位陌生女人在窗边发呆。
Have one time I at public bus on, see one (M) stranger woman at window-side stare-blankly.
Once on a public bus, I saw a stranger — a woman staring out the window.
她的样子很安静，让我想起那天早上的茶馆。
Her (POSS) appearance very quiet, make me think-up that day morning (POSS) tea-house.
Her quiet look made me think of the tea shop from that morning.
我不知道为什么，就轻声问她：“你也喝过那杯茶吗？”
I not know why, then soft-voice ask her: "You also drink (EXP) that (M) tea (Q)?"
I didn't know why, but I softly asked her, “Did you ever drink that cup of tea, too?”
她转过头来看我，眼里马上有了水。
She turn (EXP) head come see me, eye inside immediately have (PERF) water.
She turned to me, her eyes filling at once.
她说：“是的。我母亲去世那年。”
She say: "Yes. I mother pass-away that year."
She said, “Yes. The year my mother died.”
她说的茶馆和我的不太一样——她记得有两张桌子，门口有一棵小树。
She say (POSS) tea-house and my (POSS) not too same — she remember have two (M) table, door-mouth have one (M) small tree.
Her tea shop wasn't quite the same as mine — she remembered two tables, and a small tree by the door.
可是我们都知道，那是同一家茶馆。
But we all know, that is same one (M) tea-house.
But we both knew it was the same tea shop.
后来我又遇到过别人。
Later I again meet (EXP) other-person.
Later I met others.
一位邻居，他是在妻子离开他的那个月找到的。
One (M) neighbor, he is at wife leave him (POSS) that (M) month find (POSS).
A neighbor, who had found it the month his wife left him.
一位同事，她是在儿子生了大病的那天晚上去的。
One (M) colleague, she is at son fall (PERF) big sick (POSS) that day evening go (POSS).
A colleague, who had gone the night her son fell seriously ill.
他们说的茶馆都不一样：颜色不同，桌子不同，连茶的味道也不一样。
They say (POSS) tea-house all not same: color different, table different, even tea (POSS) taste also not same.
Each tea shop they described was different — different colors, different tables, even a different tea.
可是我们一开口，就能听出来：“你也去过吧？”
But we one open-mouth, then can hear-out: "You also go (EXP) (SUGG)?"
But the moment we spoke, we could hear it: “You've been there too, haven't you?”
我们从来不约时间，也不留电话。
We never not arrange time, also not leave phone.
We never made plans, never exchanged numbers.
可是过一段时间，总会再遇到另外一个人。
But pass one (M) time, always will again meet another one (M) person.
But after a while, another one of us would always appear.
我现在明白了：那家茶馆不在地图上，它在心里最难过的那条街上。
I now understand (PERF): that (M) tea-house not at map on, it at heart inside most sad (POSS) that (M) street on.
I understand now: that tea shop isn't on any map. It stands on the saddest street inside each of us.
需要的人会找到它一次，只一次。
Need (POSS) person will find it one time, only one time.
Those who need it find it once, and only once.
可是从那以后，我们再也不是一个人了。
But from that after, we again also not be one (M) person (PERF).
But after that, none of us is ever truly alone again.
因为这世界上总有一个陌生人——明天，也许就是你身边的那一位——也喝过同一杯茶。
Because this world on always have one (M) stranger — tomorrow, perhaps just is you beside (POSS) that one (M) — also drink (EXP) same one (M) tea.
Because somewhere in the world there is always a stranger — perhaps tomorrow, perhaps the one beside you — who has tasted the same cup of tea.