Chapter 4 4

Good for running. Running clears the mind.Can relax the nerves.Go for a run by yourself, and no one will say you're lonely or anything.So, even if I have an important case at hand, even if I have been in court for a whole day, whether it is in Washington or somewhere, I always find time to put on my sweatshirt and pants and go for a run. I've played squash for a while, of course.But playing squash requires other skills.For example, you have to be able to talk if you can open your mouth, at least you have to yell "Strike", or "Do you think we can kill Yale this year?" I'm at the end of my mind.So I go for a run.Running and exercising in Central Park, you don't need to talk to people at all.

"Hey Oliver, you bastard!" One afternoon I seemed to hear someone calling my name.It's my hallucination.I was never called by my first name in the park.At the same time, I was still running slowly alone. "You Harvard snob!" Even though there were a lot of snobbery coming from Harvard, I somehow got a kick out of it and realized that was indeed calling me.Looking back, it turned out that Stephen Simpson, who lived in the same dormitory with me when I was an undergraduate, was riding a bicycle and almost caught up with me. "Hey, what's the matter with you guy?" That's how he greeted me when we first met.

"Simpson, what right do you have to come and say there's something wrong with me?" "Why not? First, I have graduated from medical school and am now a qualified doctor; second, I should say that I have friendship with you; third, I have written to you several times, but you always Didn't hear back from me." "I thought, those of you who study medicine don't necessarily have the time..." "Well, Barrett, I'm busy as I am, but I've got to get married, and I'm married to Gwen. I called you—and sent a telegram to your office to get you— —But you never give face.”

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Steve, I didn't know," I lied to prevaricate. "Really? Then why did you send a wedding present two weeks later?" My Jesus, what a shame this Simpson wasn't a lawyer!But how can I explain this to him?In fact, it's not that I don't want to show face, it's that I really don't want to see people! "Sorry sorry, Steve," I said, hoping that he would kick off the bike and get on his way. "Why should you apologize? We should be considerate of you." "Thank you. Say hello to Gwen for me." But he still lingered.

"Hey, let me tell you something—don't ask me why, Gwen just wants to see you anyway," Simpson said. "She's asking for trouble, isn't she? She's seriously ill. Have you seen a doctor?" "Just ask me to see it. I told her that she's crazy. She wants to go to the play, but we can't look down on it, so I have to find a way to spend the least money and ask you to amuse her. How about Friday night?" "I'm busy, Simpson." "Yes, I know that too. You often have court sessions even at night. Let's do it this way, at eight o'clock, please be sure to come."

After he finished speaking, he speeded up, pedaled away, and only said one sentence back, as if he was afraid that my brain would not work well and I would have to remind him again and again: "Remember, it's exactly eight o'clock in the evening on this Friday. Our address It’s in the phone book, but you can’t just push it and push it and then don’t go.” "Forget it, Steve! I'm not going anyway!" I refused so resolutely, but he just pretended not to hear.What an arrogant boy, you really think I'm so easy to manipulate! I ended up taking two bottles of wine though.The clerk at the Shirley-Leman Hotel strongly recommended, saying that although the original French wine of the "Lanshi Barge" brand is made from "five-picked" grapes, it is actually of high quality and low price, and it is the best wine among Bordeaux wines. First-class ("it can be called clear and sweet, full-bodied and timeless").So I bought two bottles of '64.At that time, even if I don't know the fun and make the Simpsons cry, at least there will be good wine to calm them down.

① That is, late-harvested grapes.The grapes are picked for the first time after they grow up, which is called the first picking, and the fifth picking in succession after that is called "five picking". They looked very happy to see me. "Oliver, you haven't changed at all!" "Oliver, you haven't changed at all!" "You haven't changed at all, Gwen!" I saw that they didn't even change the paintings on the walls.It is also Andy Warhol's proudest work with the strongest pop flavor. (When my husband and I went to see them a few years ago, mine said, "I'm sick of Campbell's soup as a kid, I'm not going to hang this on the wall!")

①Andy Warhol (1930-), American painter, leader of "Pop Art" in the 1960s. "Pop Art" is a modern art trend. The works are often based on daily necessities, such as food cans and street sign posters (sometimes even the real objects are directly placed in the works), such as the "Campbell Soup" mentioned below. " is an example. "Campbell Soup" is a common color soup can ("Campbell" is a brand name). We just sit on the floor.From the speakers in the corner Paul and Art were singing softly, asking if we were going to Scarborough for a meeting.Stephen opened a bottle of Mondavi white wine.We talked about nonsense, and I ate and ate a lot of pretzels as we talked.For example, we talked about how boring being a resident doctor is, and how rare it is for Steve and his wife to have a quiet night.Of course, it is indispensable for me to express my opinion: Is it possible for Harvard to beat the Yale team this year?Gwen asked strangely, she didn't mention what kind of ball it was.Anyway, in her eyes, any football game is a mysterious thing.Then forget it.Anyway, their main purpose is to make me feel comfortable.In fact, my situation is much better than I feared in advance.

①Paul is the famous singer Paul Simon, and Art is his collaborator Arthur Garfunkel (Art is Arthur's nickname).The song they sang, "Scarborough Fair" in the title, is an episode in the movie "The Graduate".There is a line in the lyrics: "Are you going to Scarborough Fair?" Suddenly the doorbell rang, and I was taken aback. "What's going on?" I asked. "Take it easy," Steve said. "It's nothing, another guest is here." From the sound of the bell, I could tell that there must be a layout inside, and it was just as it should be!

"What kind of guests are they?" I asked. "Gee, there's really only one guest, there's no second," Gwen said. "So a 'single guest', right?" I just felt like a cornered beast at the moment. "It's just a coincidence," Steve said, and went to answer the door. Terrible!I definitely don't go into other people's doors, and that's the reason!I can't stand this group of friends who are eager to "help".What kind of play will be performed today, I have already expected it to eight or nine points.Those who came were not old classmates who used to live in the same dormitory, or older "little sisters", or friends from the same class back then, who must have just divorced.Damn it, I was caught in an ambush again!

My heart was so angry that I wished I could scold "mother".But Gwen in front of me is not very familiar with me after all, so I just spit out: "Bullshit!" "Oliver, this guy is pretty good." "I'm so sorry, Gwen. I know you two mean well, but..." Just at this moment Steve came back and welcomed in the girl who deserved to be unlucky tonight. Wire-rimmed glasses. The first impression I got was that she was wearing round, wire-rimmed glasses.And already busy undressing.She took off her coat—it was all white. Simpson introduced that it was his old medical school classmate and pediatric resident Joanna Stein, MD.Now they are all "working hard" in the same hospital.I didn't take a second look at her either, so I can't tell if she's pretty or not.Someone said, "Come sit down and have a drink," and we all obeyed. Then everyone chatted for a while. Gradually I noticed that Joanna Stein, M.D., had a soft voice in addition to her round wire-rimmed glasses.Later, I noticed that this soft voice was not only sharp in thinking but also quite kind.Fortunately, I was never mentioned a word in the conversation.It is estimated that Simpson and the others have already given her my "situation" beforehand. "This life sucks," I heard Steve Simpson say. "That makes sense," I said.After I finished speaking, I realized that he and Gwen just expressed sympathy after hearing Joanna's hard work, and they were talking about how difficult it is to be a resident doctor. "And what do you do to refresh yourself after work, Joe?" I asked.But when the words came out, I muttered in my heart: Oh my God, I hope she won't misunderstand my overtones, and intends to invite her out to play. "I'll just sleep," she replied. "yes?" "What can be done," she went on. "When I get home, I don't have any strength left. Once I lay down on the bed, I can sleep for twenty hours." "Oh." There was a cold spot.Who is willing to speak at this time?After receiving the ball, whether it is passing the ball, or running and attacking with the ball, trying to advance ten yards or twenty yards①, it is difficult enough.Everyone sat in silence for as if they had been sitting for a century.Sit until Gwen Simpson invites everyone in. ①Here are the terms of American football. Forgive me for speaking frankly, although Gwen is a nice person, he is not very talented in cooking.Sometimes the boiled water she boiled has an out-and-out burnt smell.This evening was no exception.It can even be said that it is more... than usual.But I still only care about eating, so as not to talk.It's just that I broke my stomach after eating, so I had to go to the emergency room, and there were two doctors right there anyway. It was on this occasion, during the tasting (believe it or not?) of a charred cheese, that Joanna Stein asked me, "Oliver?" I have experience in cross-examining witnesses in court, so I reacted immediately. "What can I teach you?" "Do you like opera?" Oops, this is a stupid question!I was chewing secretly in my heart, while I hurriedly figured out what she meant by asking this.Does she want to talk to me about operas like La Boheme or ②?It just so happens that these scenes all end with the death of the heroine.Maybe she wants to use this to let me vent my feelings?No, she wouldn't be so ignorant of social rules.But whether it is or not, the room is full of silence at the moment, and everyone is waiting for my answer. ① "Life of the Artist", also known as "The Embroidered Girl", written by the Italian composer Puccini (1858-1924). ②, by the Italian composer Verdi (1813-1901). "Oh, opera, it's not that I don't like it," I replied, but I had to keep an eye out for everything, so I added: "It's just Italy, France, and Germany. I don't appreciate works from this country." "That's good." Seeing that she agreed calmly.Could it be that what she wants to talk to me about is Chinese opera? "Merritt's playing Purcell on Tuesday night." ①Henry Purcell (1658?—1695): British composer. Look at this damn it, I forgot to mention English opera!This time I am afraid that I will have to accompany her to see an English opera. "Sheila Merritt is the hottest soprano of the year," Stephen Simpson added, pinching me. "And it's Dido and Aeneas again," Gwen chimed in, and it became a three-on-one. (Dido, another woman who met a betrayer and ended up dying!) ① Dido is the queen of Carthage in myths and legends.Legend has it that Aeneas, the hero of the Trojan War, was blown to Carthage by a strong wind, and Dido fell in love with him. Later, Aeneas secretly left Carthage, and Dido committed suicide because of disappointment. "It's not bad to hear what you said," I had to surrender.Although I can scold Steve and Gwen enough in my heart.But the one I scolded the most was the "Chateau Lanschbarge". It was because of the effect of the original French wine that I couldn't stand it and changed my original intention. I originally wanted to say that no matter what kind of music I listened to. To be disgusting. "Oh, that would be great," said Joanna. "I have two tickets..." Ha, here we come! "...But me and Steve are both on duty. I was wondering if I could ask you and Gwen to watch." "It's too late to let Gwen go to see her, Oliver." The meaning in Steve's tone was: he is too old and should really adjust his life. "Okay then," I said, thinking I should be more enthusiastic, so I said to Joanna, "Thanks." "It would be great if you could go," she said. "Please send a message to my parents, saying that you have seen me and I am alive and well." How do you say this?I couldn't help but secretly slapped Han Hua. What immediately came to my mind was Joanna Stein's mother, who was sitting next to her, with two aggressive eyes: "Do you like my daughter?" "They're all in the string section," she said, and hurried away with Steve. Just leave me and Gwen sitting there.I thought I deserved to be punished for doing such an absurd thing, so I bit the bullet and ate another coke pie. "Where is this 'string department'?" I asked Gwen. "Usually east of the woodwind section. Joanna's mom and dad are both at the New York City Opera, mom is a viola player and dad is a cello." I said "Oh", and punished myself to take another big bite. There was a long silence. Gwen finally said, "Is it really that bad to meet Joe?" I look at her. He also replied: "What can I say?"