by Janie Emaus

　　As teenagers we live in a different world from our mothers, a world where mothers hang out on the peripheries1. Of course, almost everyone has one; they are unavoidable annoyances2.

　　作為孩子，我們生活在和母親不同的世界里，生活在一個(gè)由母親監(jiān)控的世界里。當(dāng)然，幾乎每個(gè)人都有一個(gè)這樣的世界，這是不可避免的煩惱。

　　Today, as I approach that edge, as I am the one with the teenage daughter, I look at my mother through different eyes. And I sometimes wish I could halt the years and stop her from growing older, stop her from repeating herself.

　　現(xiàn)在，當(dāng)我也處在監(jiān)控的位置上，當(dāng)我也成為一個(gè)女孩的母親時(shí)，我開始從另一個(gè)角度來(lái)看我的母親。有時(shí)候，我希望自己能夠讓時(shí)間停止，讓我的母親不再變得衰老，讓她不再一遍遍地嘮叨。

　　We sit at my kitchen table as the sun designs a mosaic3 of light on the tile floor. My daughter, Anna, sits next to my mother.

　　我們坐在餐桌旁邊，陽(yáng)光照在地板上，形成馬賽克狀的光斑。我的女兒安娜就坐在我母親旁邊。

　　"When is Rick going to be here?" my mother asks, referring to my husband.

　　“瑞克什么時(shí)候來(lái)？”母親問。瑞克是我的丈夫。

　　"I don't know, Mom," I answer patiently. "He'll be here for dinner."

　　“我不知道，媽媽，”我耐心地回答，“他會(huì)來(lái)這兒吃飯。”

　　I sigh and get up from the table. This is at least the tenth time she has asked that question in as many minutes.

　　我嘆了口氣，站起身來(lái)。不大一會(huì)工夫，她已經(jīng)問了不下十遍了。

　　While my mother and daughter play Monopoly, I busy myself making a salad.

　　媽媽和女兒在玩強(qiáng)手棋，我則忙著做沙拉。

　　"Don't put in any onions," Mom says. "You know how Daddy hates onions."

　　“別放洋蔥，”媽媽說(shuō)，“你知道你爸爸有多討厭洋蔥。”

　　"Yes, Mom," I answer, shoving the scallions back into the fridge.

　　“好的，媽媽。”我回答道，順手把洋蔥又塞進(jìn)冰箱。

　　I scrub off a carrot and chop it into bite-size pieces. I thrust the knife into the carrot with more force than is necessary. A slice falls onto the floor.

　　我洗干凈一個(gè)胡羅卜，把它切成小塊。我象撒氣似的用力把刀刺進(jìn)胡羅卜。有一片羅卜掉到了地上。