第5章 当女儿发脾气

The Tantrum

佚名 / Anonymous

My mother was a vocal supporter of corporal punishment， but for all her talking she had never spanked my siblings， and me only once. Instead she found ways of punishment that left a more lasting memory than the short sting of a swat on our rumps. One of the most memorable of these occasions occurred when I was four.

In the early 70s’my mother attended college during the day while my sister was in school and I was in daycare. One day at daycare I watched an extremely tired mother attempt to pick up her daughter. The little girl asked， “Momma， are we going to McDonalds for dinner？” The mother replied， “Honey， not tonight. Momma has to run a few errands and then we have to go home and cook dinner for Daddy.” “But I want to go.” “Susie， I said not tonight. Maybe， if you are a good girl we can go tomorrow.” Susie immediately dropped to the floor， kicking and screaming， “I want to go to McDonalds.”

No amount of pleading or scolding her mother tried stopped Susie’s tantrum. Finally her mother gave in， “Okay， Susie， let’s go to McDonalds.” Susie stopped yelling and smiling， she grabbed her mother’s hand and they left. To say I was amazed would be inaccurate； I was delighted that anything I wanted could be had by throwing a tantrum.

That day my mother picked me up early from daycare because we were going to Sears & Roebuck to pay on a Christmas Layaway. I was excited by the lights and decorations， and as we walked through the toy section on the way to the Layaway Department， I saw a toy I had to have. It was a white and red telephone whose bells rang as it was pulled along on a string. Looking lovingly up at my mother I asked， “Mama， can I have that telephone？”

She replied， “Baby， not now， but if you are a good girl maybe Santa will bring it to you.” “But Mama， I want that telephone right now.” Her eyes narrowed and her hand tightened on mine. “Becky， you can’t have that telephone today， but if you misbehave you can have a spanking.”

By now we were standing in the long holiday line in the Layaway Department， and I figure it was now or never. I lay down on the ground and began screaming， “I want that telephone，” over and over again. Weary Christmas shoppers looked as my mother calmly said， “Becky， you had better get up by the count of three or else. One...Two...Three.”

Nothing. I was still in full tantrum. So then she lay down beside me on the floor， and began kicking and screaming， “I want a new car， I want a new house， I want some jewelry， I want...” Shocked， I stood up.

“Mama， stop. Mama get up，” I tearfully pleaded.

She stood， and brushed herself off. At first stunned， the others waiting in line began to sporadically clap， and before I knew it they were cheering and laughing and patting my mother on her back. She blushed and took a little bow and the next thirty minutes in line was pure misery for me as various parents leaving the Layaway Department， shaked their heads at me and said with a smile， “Your mom got you good. I bet you’ll never try that again.”

And I didn’t， because it left a lasting mental picture more effective than any physical mark.

母亲常说她赞成体罚，虽然她嘴上这么说，但却从不动手打我的兄弟姐妹，而我也仅挨过一次打。相反，跟打屁股所带来的疼痛相比，她所用的一些惩罚方法总会给我们留下更深刻的印象。四岁时发生的那件事是我最难忘的事件之一。

那是70年代初，白天，姐姐去学校，我上托儿所，而妈妈就去大学里读书。一天在托儿所里，我看到一位非常疲惫的妈妈来接她的女儿。小女孩问道：“妈妈，我们去吃麦当劳好吗？”那位妈妈回答说：“宝贝，改天好吗？妈妈还有很多事要做，我们还得赶紧回家给爸爸做饭呢。”“但我就是想去嘛。”“苏茜，我说过了，今晚不去。如果你乖的话，妈妈明天就带你去。”苏茜马上一屁股坐在地板上，蹬着腿叫着：“我就要去麦当劳。”

不论她妈妈怎么说，苏茜都哭闹不停。最后那位妈妈做出了妥协，说：“好吧，我们就去麦当劳吧。”苏茜立刻不闹了，并笑着拉着妈妈的手离开了。看到这一切，我不仅仅是惊讶，而且开心极了，心想，要得到想要的东西，只要发发脾气就可以了。

我们那天要去西尔斯罗巴克商场取订购的圣诞礼物，因此妈妈很早就来接我了。一路上看到的那些漂亮的灯和装饰品让我兴奋不已，当我们穿过玩具区往订购部走去时，我看中了一件玩具。那是一个红白相间的电话机，一拉上面的绳子，就会有美妙的铃声响起。我抬头很乖巧地看着妈妈，说：“妈妈，给我买那个电话机好吗？”

妈妈回答说：“宝贝，现在不行。你要是乖的话，圣诞老人也许会送你一个的。”“但是妈妈，我现在就要。”她皱起了眉头，紧紧地抓着我的手说：“贝基，今天不能给你买，你再不听话，我就打你屁股了。”

人们在订购部前排起了长队，而我们当时已经站在队列中了。我觉得现在正是机会，决不能错过。于是我往地板上一躺开始不停地哭闹：“我要电话机……”旁边买东西的人全都看了过来，只见妈妈镇定地说：“贝基，我数三下，你最好站起来。一……二……三。”

我没有动，仍然哭闹着。于是妈妈在我旁边坐了下来，开始又踢又嚷：“我要新车，我要新房子，我要珠宝，我还要……”我吓得马上站了起来。

我哭着恳求道：“妈妈，不要这样。妈妈，站起来好吗？”

她站起身来并拍了拍衣服。人们先是一愣，接着陆陆续续地鼓起了掌。他们笑着，并拍拍妈妈的背以示喝彩，而我却还没明白是怎么回事。妈妈红着脸，向大家鞠躬致谢。接下来的三十多分钟，对我来说简直是煎熬。人们离开时，都对我摇摇头并笑着说：“你妈妈这么做都是为你好。我敢肯定你今后不会再这样了。”

我真的没有再那样做过。因为它在我心底留下了永久的烙印，比身体上的疤痕更深刻。

记忆填空

1. In the early 70s’my attended college during the day my sister was in school and I was in daycare. day at daycare I watched an extremely tired mother attempt pick up her daughter.

2. Susie stopped yelling and smiling she grabbed her mother’s and they left. say I was amazed would be inaccurate； I was delighted that I wanted could be had by throwing a tantrum.

3. By now we were in the long holiday line in the Layaway Department， and I figure it was now or .

佳句翻译

1. 相反，跟打屁股所带来的疼痛相比，她所用的一些惩罚方法总会给我们留下更深刻的印象。

2. 我觉得现在正是机会，决不能错过。

3. 因为它在我心底留下了永久的烙印，比身体上的疤痕更深刻。

短语应用

1. Momma has to run a few errands and then we have to go home and cook dinner for Daddy.

run errands：办差事；跑腿

2. Finally her mother gave in，“Okay， Susie， let’s go to McDonalds.”

give in：屈服；让步；交上